We’re bringing in an award winning Relationship and Sex Education teaching resource to schools.
by Thomas Cox
In recent years new technology has dramatically changed the way young people access information and even changed how they experience relationships.
When it comes to relationships and sex there are a number of places online that give advice that is often confusing, contradicting, or just plain wrong. This leads to young people developing misconceptions about relationships and sex.
On top of this, a survey conducted by Health Watch Telford & Wrekin identified that relationships are the biggest cause of stress in young people’s lives.
The curriculum for Relationship and Sex Education has not been updated since 2000. Although the government is currently consulting on how it should update the PSHE guidance provided around sex and relationships in primary and secondary school.
Updating Relationship and Sex Education
Clearly there is a need to provide better and more up to date advice around relationships and sex to young people.
That’s why we’ve take the step to purchase the award winning Respect Yourself Relationship and Sex Education Programme, which will be available for use in schools from September 2018.
Respect Yourself will provide schools with an improved set of resources to deliver age-appropriate and up-to-date lessons. The programme also includes resources and works for parents and school staff, so that anyone in a child’s life can feel confident about how to address health issues.
All of this will help to better equip children and young people with the advice they need to make informed decisions and keep themselves safe.
The move is also in preparation for the changes that will be brought into Relationships and Sex Education teaching for all secondary schools in England from September 2019.
On the 23rd of January, an event took place to introduce the award winning Respect Yourself Relationship and Sex Education Programme to schools and other stakeholders who work with children. Alice Crutwell, the author of the curriculum behind Respect Yourself, was there to introduce it first-hand.
Sian Deane, Head Teacher at Holmer Lake Primary School, said: “The Respect Yourself Relationship and Sex Education Programme is exactly what we need in our school to help keep our pupils informed and healthy.
“We believe the programme is of great benefit, and recommend it to all schools in Telford & Wrekin.”
Sian added that, “Making this teaching resource available for all will mean that all children in Telford and Wrekin will have the opportunity to benefit high quality PSHE teaching.”
This opportunity to improve the teaching of RSE in preparation for the statutory changes in 2019 has arisen due to the partnership between Sian Deane, who is the project leader for Future in Mind, The Severn Teaching Alliance, Alice Crutwell, Shropshire Council Public Health and Public Health in Telford and Wrekin Council.
About Respect Yourself
In 2012 the Shropshire Respect Yourself Relationship and Sex Education programme Year 6-11 won a national award. In 2014 the programme received the PSHE Association quality assurance kite mark and in 2015 the primary programme called Respect Yourself: Eat Better, Move More, RSE was a finalist for the national award.
The Shropshire Respect Yourself Relationship and Sex Education Programme was developed by Shropshire Council with Shropshire County Primary Care Trust (PCT), as well as primary and secondary schools.