Relationships, Sex and Health Education

At St Paul and St Timothy’s Catholic Infant School, Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) supports our children’s spiritual, moral, social, emotional and physical development. It reflects our Catholic faith, our mission statement—Love, Learn, Believe, Achieve in the Spirit of Jesus—and our commitment to recognising that every person is created and loved by God.

Relationships and Health Education is taught mainly through Religious Education and Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE). Learning is also reinforced across the curriculum, including through Science, PE and other age-appropriate subjects.

Since September 2020, Relationships Education and Health Education have been statutory in all primary schools. These subjects help children to:

• recognise what makes a healthy and loving relationship;
• understand the importance of kindness, respect and forgiveness;
• value themselves and others;
• develop safe and healthy habits;
• recognise and communicate their feelings;
• understand personal boundaries and how to seek help; and
• make informed choices that support their health and wellbeing.

As an infant school, all learning is carefully planned for children aged 4–7 and is delivered sensitively in a safe, respectful and age-appropriate way. We work in partnership with parents and carers, recognising them as the first educators of their children.

Our Catholic RSHE Programme

At St Paul and St Timothy’s Catholic Infant School, Relationships, Sex and Health Education is firmly rooted in the teachings and values of the Catholic Church. It supports our mission:

“Love, Learn, Believe, Achieve in the Spirit of Jesus.”

We believe that every person is created in the image and likeness of God and should be loved, respected and valued. Through age-appropriate teaching, our children learn how to care for themselves and others, develop positive relationships and make safe, healthy and respectful choices.

RSHE is taught through Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE), Religious Education and other areas of the curriculum, including Science, Physical Education and Computing. It is also reflected in our prayer and liturgy, pastoral care and the everyday life of our school.

Life to the Full Plus

We use Life to the Full Plus, an age-appropriate Catholic programme produced by Ten Ten Resources.

The programme is based on the belief that each person is created by God, loved by God and called to live life to the full. It is informed by the Model Catholic RSE Curriculum, produced by the Catholic Education Service, and supports the statutory requirements for Relationships Education and Health Education.

Life to the Full Plus uses a range of engaging resources, including:

• age-appropriate stories and videos;
• discussion and reflection activities;
• prayer and worship;
• creative activities;
• opportunities for children to ask questions;
• learning about relationships, health, wellbeing and personal safety.

All content is carefully adapted to meet the needs, age and stage of development of our children.

A Journey in Love

Where appropriate, our provision is complemented by A Journey in Love, a Catholic resource developed by Sister Jude Groden.

The programme helps children to understand that they are unique and loved by God. It encourages them to grow in self-knowledge and to develop healthy and respectful relationships.

Children explore different aspects of their development:

• physical;
• social;
• emotional;
• intellectual;
• spiritual.

Through carefully planned activities and reflections, children are encouraged to recognise the wonder and beauty of God’s creative love. 

 

A Safe and Supportive Environment

We recognise that children are naturally curious and may have questions about themselves, their families and the world around them.

Lessons are taught within a safe, caring and respectful environment. Clear ground rules help children to understand that they may ask questions without embarrassment. Staff respond sensitively and use language that is appropriate to the children’s age and level of understanding.

If a child asks a question that is not appropriate for a whole-class response, staff will deal with it sensitively and may contact the child’s parents or carers.

Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers

Parents and carers are the first educators of their children, and we greatly value their role. We are committed to working closely with families and providing clear information about the content of our RSHE curriculum.

Parents and carers are welcome to contact the school if they would like to:

• discuss any aspect of the programme;
• view the resources used in school;
• find out what their child will be learning;
• ask questions about particular lessons or themes.

The Right to Withdraw

Relationships Education and Health Education are statutory in primary schools. Parents and carers do not have the right to withdraw their child from these subjects or from the statutory Science curriculum.

At St Paul and St Timothy’s Catholic Infant School, we teach children aged 4–7. We do not teach the additional Sex Education content that is introduced in Key Stage 2. Our children receive only carefully planned, age-appropriate learning about relationships, health, personal development and keeping themselves safe.

Parents and carers are welcome to contact the school if they would like further information about what is taught in their child’s year group or would like to view the resources used.