At St. John's we provide a comprehensive Personal Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) curriculum which incorporates the Department for Education's statutory Relationships and Health Education (RHE) and diocesan Human Relations and Sex Education (HRSE) requirements.

Attached is the Human Relationships and Sex Education policy (HRSE) Policy. This policy details the Diocesan and Department for Education requirements.

At St John’s Catholic Primary school we are inspired by Jesus to be the very best we can be. We look after one another and show respect and love through our relationships with one another. Jesus is invited into our hearts. In the Beatitudes, Jesus invites us to lead a full life with him by explaining what makes people blessed or happy. This is about understanding how loving our neighbour enables us to be happy too. Therefore, having a good relationship with ourselves and the other people in our lives makes us grow and flourish, and we respect that everyone is a unique and beautiful part of God’s creation. We are all children of God, called to grow in love for him through the person of Jesus Christ and to spread the Good News through the action of the Holy Spirit.

As a primary school in the Diocese of Lancaster Education Service, we use the term Human Relationships and Sex Education (HRSE) as we believe that relationships education is about all aspects of growing a fulfilled and happy life, sexual education is a dimension of this greater whole. Mr McGrath is the designated teacher responsible for HRSE in school. Fr P Sharrock is the Foundation Governor responsible for HRSE.

The defining belief of Christianity is that God took on human form. This endows the human form with an extraordinary dignity that goes beyond that of all other forms of life and shows that humanity alone can embrace this relationship with God. Therefore, our relationship with our own bodies is not casual but infused with the Holy Spirit. Any teaching about love and sexual relationships in school must be rooted in this belief which is expressed in the Church’s teaching about relationships, marriage, sex and family life. The Church offers education to young people as part of complete human formation. Education about human love is no less a part of a Catholic schools responsibility than teaching about mathematics or English. At St John’s Catholic Primary School, we teach young people about how to form relationships, including understanding loving relationships and acknowledging that children’s first experience of love is in the home. We encourage children from the earliest age to recognise that they are all children of God and that each person shares a God given dignity. As children mature, we encourage them to follow the example of Jesus and live lives inspired by the Gospel virtues, enabling them to follow His commandment to “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31). This is the basis for all relationships in our school. Teaching about relationships in our school is supported by Christian virtue teaching as outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and in line with ‘Fit for Mission – Schools’.

The Department for Education in ‘Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education (2019) states that:

"to embrace the challenges of creating a happy and successful adult life, pupils need knowledge that will enable them to make informed decisions about their well-being, health and relationships and to build their self-efficacy. Pupils can also put this knowledge into practice as they develop the capacity to make sound decisions when facing risks, challenges and complex contexts. Everyone faces difficult situations in their lives. These subjects can support young people to develop resilience, to know how and when to ask for help, and to know where to access support.”

The Diocese recognises the value of these curriculum aims. However, Catholic schools also have regard for the spiritual welfare of the students and recognise that to know and love God brings lasting happiness.

All teaching forms part of the statutory Science, Relationships and Health Education Programmes of Study. Therefore, parents do not have the right to withdraw their child from these subjects. If any parent is worried or concerned about any aspects of the teaching they can speak to the Headteacher for clarification.

Relationships and Health Education became statutory for all primary schools from September 2020. Our school has implemented the new Relationships Education programme for Catholic primary schools by following a scheme called Life to the Full.

The Life to the Full programme is based on ‘A Model Catholic RSE Curriculum’ by the Catholic Education Service which was highlighted as a work of good practice by the Department of Education. Therefore, we have confidence that the programme will be fit for purpose in supporting the growth and development of our children.

Life to the Full is much more than a series of lessons. It is an entire platform of creative resources that will engage, inform and inspire our children and, indeed, you as parents. This includes interactive video content, story-based activities, employing a wide range of teaching tools, original worship music and an accompanying programme of classroom prayers.

Below is a link to the resources which we follow in school. To access the online parent platform please visit: www.tentenresources.co.uk/parent-portal

School Username: st-johns-fy6

School Password: john-6

At St. John's we cover all the requirements of the Diocese of Lancaster and Department for Education  using a mixture of resources including Life to the Full, Coram and Kidsafe. Our programme is also delivered through other subjects including R.E, Science and Computing lessons.

PSHE

Our programme goes beyond the statutory RHE requirements through our work on 'Living in the Wider World.' We cover the themes of shared responsibilities, communities, media literacy, digital resilience and economic wellbeing.