Understanding RSE

At Assunnah Primary School, we believe that PSHE (Tarbiyyah) helps to give pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to lead confident, healthy, independent lives, in order to become informed, active and responsible citizens. PSHE also flows through all other curriculum areas.

Under the new guidance issued by the DfE, by September 2020, Relationships Education at primary school will be compulsory. We believe that, to be effective, RSE should always be taught within a broader PSHE education programme as well as our school-based values. RSE enhances and is enhanced by learning related to topics including anti-bullying; keeping safe on and off line; keeping physically and mentally healthy, learning about drugs, alcohol and tobacco; and the development of skills and attributes such as communication skills, managing peer pressure, risk management, resilience and decision making. The aims of PSHE (Tarbiyyah ) and RSE at Assunnah are to:

• Promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of all pupils
• Prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life
• Encourage pupils to value themselves and others
• Allow pupils to acknowledge and appreciate difference and diversity
• Teach pupils how to make informed choices
• Prepare pupils to be positive and active members of a democratic society
• Teach pupils to understand what constitutes a safe and healthy lifestyle
• Provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place
• Promote safety in forming and maintaining relationships
• Provide pupils with a toolkit for understanding and managing their emotions
• Provide pupils with the opportunities to consider issues which may affect their own lives and/or the lives of others
• Help pupils to identify the characteristics of healthy relationships, how relationships may affect mental and physical health; and how to stay safe online
• Prepare pupils for puberty, and give them an understanding of sexual development and the importance of health and hygiene
• Help pupils develop feelings of self-respect, confidence and empathy
• Create an Islamic culture around issues of relationships
• Teach pupils the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodiesStatutory requirementsAt Assunnah Primary School, we teach PSHE and RSE as set out in this policy.The Department for Education is introducing compulsory Relationships Education for primary pupils and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) for secondary pupils from September 2020. Also, from September 2020, it will be compulsory for all schools to teach Health Education. Through these

subjects, we want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe – we want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society, thus equip our children of knowledge of righteous actions.

Policy development

This policy has been developed in consultation with staff and parents. The consultation and policy development process involved the following steps:

1. Review – a member of the leadership team, pulled together all relevant information, including relevant national and local guidance

2. Staff consultation – school staff, were given the opportunity to look at the policy and make recommendations.

3. A parental consultation through meetings, survey was carried out and their recommendations were taken into consideration

Definition

RSE is part of lifelong learning about the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up, relationships, sex, human sexuality and sexual health. RSE, within PSHE, aims to give children and young people essential skills for building positive, enjoyable, respectful and non-exploitive relationships and the skills to stay safe both on and offline. It enables pupils to explore their own and other’s attitudes and values and builds their self-esteem and confidence. Delivery of PSHE and RSE

At Assunnah, we have our PSHE scheme of work for years 1-6. These lessons are based around a theme which changes termly. Staff and parents recommended that sensitive topics are to be taught in the summer term of Y6. Those topics have been highlighted and will be taught at the appropriate term.

RSE is taught within the personal, social and health (PSHE) education curriculum. Some biological aspects of sex education are taught within the science curriculum. We will be teaching the Relationship Education aspect of RSE using the lessons planned by the Association of Muslim Schools.

Some of the sensitive topics will be taught to the girls by a female teacher and to the boys by a male teacher. Parents will be informed in advance of teaching these sensitive topics so they can gain clarity on the topics. This is so they are in a strong position to support their children when they learn these topics. We feel when the same message is passed on to the pupils from the school and parents, the pupils will feel secure in their newly acquired knowledge.

We believe that pupils should be taught about Islamic manners, expectations and about the society in which they are growing up. These subjects are designed to foster respect for others and for difference and educate pupils about healthy relationships. We believe that RSE should meet the needs of all pupils growing up as Muslims and citizens of this country.

Pupils with SEND

As far as is appropriate, pupils with special educational needs should follow the same PSHE education programme as all other pupils. Careful consideration is given concerning the level of differentiation

needed, and in some cases the content or delivery will have to be adapted. Teachers and/or learning support assistants work with individual pupils where required, and if appropriate.

It is not the school’s policy to withdraw pupils with or without special educational needs from PSHE education to catch up on other national curriculum subjects: these aspects of personal and social development are as important to all pupils as their academic achievement.

English:

https://assunnahschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/RSE_primary_schools_guide_for_parents.pdf

Arabic:

://assunnahschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/RSE_primary_schools_guide_for_parents_v3_AR.pdf

Somali:

https://assunnahschool.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/RSE_primary_schools_guide_for_parents_v3_SO.pdf