Relationships and Health Education

Since September 2020, all primary schools have been required by the government to teach Relationships Education and Health Education.

Relationships Education is designed to help children understand how to build positive, respectful and safe relationships with family, friends and others, including relationships online. It also supports the wider aims of PSHE and Citizenship by helping pupils understand equality, respect, diversity and their responsibilities towards others.

Health Education helps children develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions about their physical and mental health and wellbeing. Pupils also learn how to recognise when they or others may need help and how to seek appropriate support.

If you would like more information about statutory Relationships and Health Education, please click here to read the government guide, Understanding Relationships and Health Education in your child’s primary school: a guide for parents. The Department for Education has also produced a Frequently Asked Questions document for parents, which can be found here.

At Horsenden, Relationships and Health Education forms an important part of our wider Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) curriculum. We follow the Ealing PSHE Scheme of Work, which provides a progressive curriculum from the Early Years through to Year 6 and meets the statutory requirements for Relationships and Health Education.

The scheme supports pupils to develop their understanding of areas including healthy and respectful relationships, physical and mental wellbeing, online safety, personal safety, equality and diversity, and growing and changing. It also includes age-appropriate learning around issues such as harmful attitudes, stereotypes and discrimination, helping pupils develop the knowledge, confidence and vocabulary to make safe and respectful choices.

Lessons are designed to be interactive and discussion-based, making use of partner talk, class discussion and oracy activities to help children explore ideas, listen to different perspectives and apply their learning to situations they may encounter in everyday life. Our PSHE curriculum is complemented by PATHS, which provides further opportunities for pupils to develop their social and emotional skills.

If you would like to see examples of the resources used to teach Relationships and Health Education, please contact the school office at admin@horsenden.ealing.sch.uk, stating the year group you are interested in.

PSHE & RHE Policy