Elson Infant School Sex Education Policy
Sex Education Policy
“The teaching offered by schools should be complementary and supportive to the role of parents, and should have regard to parents’ views about its content and presentation”.
“Pupils’ questions should be answered sensitively: due consideration should be given to any particular religious or cultural factors.....and to parents’ wishes.”
DfEE Circular 5/94.
Aims:
At
Sex education is not a subject to be treated in isolation but is one aspect of a wider range of health/personal and social education. It is concerned with the provision of basic information and the founding of good attitudes.
Sex education will not only cover biological facts but will also foster self esteem, self-awareness, a sense of moral responsibility at a simple and appropriate level.
Objectives:
We believe that Health Education is a cross-curricular subject which will be dealt with through topics and other subject areas. The components most relevant to a sex education programme are:
Sex education:
* to know that humans develop at different rates and that human babies have special needs.
* to be able to name parts of the human body and to understand the concept of male and female.
* to know about personal safety and that they have rights over their own body. To begin to develop simple skills and practices which will help maintain personal safety.
* to appreciate ways in which people learn to live and work together: listening, discussing, sharing.
Family life education:
* to know that there are different types of family, and that there are many roles within a family
* to know about rituals associated with birth, marriage and death and to be able to talk about the emotions involved. ( Links with RE and circle time).
* to understand the idea of growing from young to old.
Psychological aspects of health education:
* to understand the importance of valuing oneself and others
* to begin to recognise the range of human emotions and ways to deal with these.
* to be able to co-operate with others in work and play.
The Role of the Teacher:
Teachers need to:
* understand the school policy on sex education
* have confidence in their knowledge of this subject
* take account of young people’s needs and expectations and relate learning experiences to meet these needs.
The Role of Parents and Carers:
The prime responsibility for bringing up children rests with parents and carers. We recognise that parents and carers are key figures in helping their children to cope with the emotional and physical aspects of growing up. The teaching offered in school will be complimentary and supportive to the role of parents and carers and will have regard for their views about content
and presentation.
Parents and carers will be made aware that they may exercise the right of withdrawal from lessons relation to sex education.
The Role of Governors:
The Governors will decide whether the school should provide sex education; and if so what it should consist of and how it should be organised.
The policy will be regularly reviewed in line with legislation.
Reviewed by Curriculum committee: Autumn 2004
Review date: Autumn 2006