Relationship Education

“RSHE (Relationships, Sex and Health Education) gives young people essential skills for building positive, enjoyable, respectful and non-exploitive relationships and staying safe both off and online.” (PSHE association and Sex Education Forum 2014)

The Department for Education (DfE) has made Relationships and Health Education compulsory in all primary schools in England.  Information from the DfE can be found here and frequently asked questions can be found here or click on the links below.  

Our Relationship, Sex and Health Education policy can be found here and below.  In our policy, we explain what and how RSHE will be taught at Hazelwood.  The appendix shows what children should know by the end of primary.   

If you have any feedback on our policy, please share your views via contactus@hazelwoodacademy.org    Your views will be kept  confidential and only seen and used by designated school staff as part of the engagement process.  We will collect your child's name and your email address so if you have any particular concerns we can contact you to discuss them.

Further information on our Jigsaw RSHE curriculum can be found below.  Thank you.   

We use the Jigsaw Scheme of Work to deliver our Personal, Social and Health Education and this includes two units called Relationships and Changing Me that cover the compulsory curriculum.    

During our Changing Me unit, which will be taught in the Summer term, the children will be learning about coping positively with change.  At each stage, in an age-appropriate way, the children develop confidence in talking, listening and thinking about feelings and relationships; are able to name parts of the body and describe how their bodies work; can protect themselves and ask for help and support; and, beginning in year three, are prepared for puberty.    Puberty is introduced gently in Y3 because some girls may start their periods this early and it is necessary to prepare them for this, so they aren’t scared or worried.   

Correct terminology for body parts is introduced early to normalise this biological vocabulary and to support safeguarding. These words are not used in isolation but always in conjunction, ensuring children know these are private parts of their bodies.  Conception is introduced age-appropriately in Y4 in the context of understanding why our bodies change during puberty. Understanding of Human Reproduction, conception and puberty is built upon in Year 5 and then puberty, conception and childbirth is age-appropriately covered in Y6.  

At no point will a child be taught something that is inappropriate – if a child asks a question that is outside of that year group’s programme, it will not be answered but the child will be encouraged to ask his/her parents or carers at home. 

We recognise these can be sensitive issues, about which you may have questions or concerns.  Please use the feedback form linked above or email us and a member of staff will get back to you.  

If you would like to see the materials that will be used, you can send a message on ClassDojo to the teacher who will arrange to share the lessons with you.