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RSHE
Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)
At Stratford School Academy, Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) is central to our commitment to developing confident, respectful and responsible young people. As a core part of our wider Personal Development curriculum, RSHE equips students with the knowledge, skills and values they need to stay safe, make informed decisions and thrive both now and in the future.
Guided by the latest Department for Education statutory guidance, our RSHE provision is designed to be age-appropriate, inclusive and responsive to the needs of our students. Safeguarding is at the forefront of our curriculum, ensuring that students are able to recognise risk, understand how to keep themselves safe, and know when and how to seek support.
Rooted in our academy values of respect, excellence and responsibility, the curriculum supports students to build healthy relationships, understand personal wellbeing, and navigate the opportunities and challenges of an increasingly complex and digital world. Our approach is informed by student voice, allowing us to adapt and respond to the real experiences, questions and concerns of our young people.
Our aim is to empower every young person with the understanding and resilience required to lead safe, healthy and fulfilling lives.
At Stratford School Academy, our RSHE curriculum aims to:
- Provide a safe and supportive environment where sensitive topics can be discussed.
- Help students develop self-respect, confidence, empathy and respect for others.
- Foster a positive and inclusive culture around relationships and sexuality.
- Teach students accurate and age-appropriate vocabulary to describe themselves, their bodies and relationships.
- Prepare students for puberty and adolescence.
- Support students to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.
- Develop awareness of the opportunities and risks linked to new technologies e.g. AI.
- Promote understanding of equality and diversity, including protected characteristics.
- Encourage students to recognise and challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours, including misogyny and gender stereotypes in modern society.
The Department for Education’s (DfE) statutory guidance Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education (RSHE) -
Stratford School Academy RSHE policy
In the Policy you will be able to view:
- Our statement of intent
- The statutory content
- How and when RSHE is delivered and taught
- How RSHE is monitored and evaluated
- Parents right to request withdrawal from sex education
- How safeguarding plays an integral role within RSHE
At Stratford School Academy, parts of RSHE Education are delivered through:
- PSHCE lessons.
- Pastoral curriculum.
- The curriculum subjects of Science, Religious Studies, English, Food and Nutrition, Physical Education and Computer Science.
- Enrichment day and external speakers.
- Bespoke sessions for students with special educational needs
Sex Education
Sex education is taught in Year 9 and 10 Science lessons and Year 9 and 10 enrichment day sessions. A parent guide produced by the Department for Education, understanding sex and health education can be found below:
Enrichment day sessions:
Sessions are delivered by experienced external facilitators. At Stratford School Academy, we have worked with the same facilitators for the past five years, ensuring consistency and quality of delivery. A member of teaching staff is always present in the room alongside external facilitators. All curriculum materials are reviewed in advance by the Head of PSHCE to ensure they are age-appropriate, in line with school policy, and DFE guidance.
Year 9 (Term 1):
- Misogyny – exploring attitudes, behaviours and stereotypes that show prejudice or disrespect towards women and girls, and how these can influence relationships and society.
- Sexual violence – understanding any unwanted or non-consensual sexual behaviour, and the importance of recognising boundaries, respect, and how to seek help and support.
- Sex, bodies and the media – exploring how media and online content can influence what we think about our bodies, relationships and expectations.
Year 10 (Term 3):
- Healthy relationships – understanding what respectful, positive relationships look like, including trust, communication, and recognising unhealthy or harmful behaviours.
- Consent – exploring the importance of clear, informed and ongoing agreement in all relationships and interactions, and understanding that consent must always be freely given.
- Reproductive and sexual health – learning about how the body works, contraception, and how to look after physical and sexual health, including where to access support and advice.
Parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education. Parents do not have the right to withdraw their pupils from relationships and health education, nor can they be withdrawn from topics taught as part of the science curriculum, including science topics related to puberty or sexual reproduction. Parents can withdraw their child from sex education up to three terms before they turn 16. After this point, the right to withdraw passes to the student, who may choose for themselves whether to receive sex education.
Before granting any request for withdrawal of a child from sex education, the headteacher will discuss the request with parents, and the child if appropriate, to understand the request and to clarify the nature and purpose of the curriculum. Should parents or carers wish to withdraw their child from sex education, they will be invited to discuss the request with the headteacher.
Feedback from governors, parents, carers, staff and students is encouraged and a representative sample of RSHE lessons and resources can be found below.
PSHCE curriculum:
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Science curriculum:
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Pastoral curriculum:
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Newham PSHE parent toolkit and support.
To support parents in having conversations about Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), the Newham RSHE Partnership has created a series of short videos covering the importance of parental engagement, what is taught in school, the potential impact when children do not feel able to talk to their parents, and top tips for parents.
The videos can be accessed here:
The importance of parents and carers