Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) Intent
At Saint Mary’s RC Primary Academy, our Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum is rooted in our Catholic faith, Gospel values and belief in the dignity and uniqueness of every human person, created and loved by God. Guided by our mission, United in Christ, One Family in God’s Heart, we intend for every child to develop the knowledge, understanding and confidence to build healthy relationships, make informed decisions and grow into respectful, compassionate and responsible individuals.
Our carefully sequenced curriculum supports pupils’ physical, emotional, social and spiritual development as they grow. Pupils learn about friendship, family life, respect, kindness, personal boundaries, consent, privacy, bodily changes and the importance of keeping themselves safe. They develop an age-appropriate understanding of human growth, relationships and reproduction, recognising that their bodies are valuable and deserving of care and respect. Through our Catholic perspective, pupils explore the importance of love, commitment, responsibility, forgiveness and the choices that contribute to healthy relationships and human flourishing.
We explicitly teach the language pupils need to identify and communicate their feelings, express boundaries, ask questions, recognise unsafe situations and seek help from trusted adults. Oracy is central to this learning: pupils are supported to discuss sensitive issues respectfully, listen to different experiences, consider viewpoints and explain their understanding with increasing confidence. Through structured discussion and carefully planned scenarios, pupils develop the vocabulary and strategies to navigate peer pressure, manage change, challenge unkindness and respond appropriately when relationships become difficult.
Our curriculum promotes dignity, equality, inclusion and respect for others, recognising that families, backgrounds and experiences may differ. We teach pupils to treat everyone with compassion and without discrimination, while remaining faithful to our Catholic ethos and the teachings of the Church. Learning is age-appropriate, carefully planned and responsive to pupils’ developmental needs. We work in partnership with parents and carers, recognising their vital role as the primary educators of their children in matters of relationships and personal development. Inclusion is integral to our approach. Through explicit vocabulary teaching, accessible resources, sensitive discussion, appropriate adaptations and opportunities to revisit essential knowledge, we ensure that all pupils, including those with SEND and those learning English as an additional language, can access learning and develop practical strategies for their own safety and wellbeing.
Our ultimate ambition is for every pupil to understand their worth as a child of God, recognise the dignity of others, develop the confidence to make safe and responsible choices, and build relationships founded on love, respect, honesty and compassion. We want our pupils to leave Saint Mary’s equipped to flourish physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually, making positive contributions to their families, school and wider community.
