Relationships and Health Education

In Wilstead, we follow a curriculum called Kapow, which meets all of the statutory expectations of the National Curriculum and offers lots of extended opportunities for social and emotional learning too.

Why Kapow?  

We chose Kapow because we felt that its aims matched our own, and its modern approach and relevance to today's generation of primary school learners provides us with a well-organised and resourceful structure for our learning.

Sex Education at Wilstead

Primary schools do not have to teach sex education beyond the biological and reproductive aspects of the Science curriculum. However, the Department for Education ‘continues to recommend that all primary schools should have a sex education programme tailored to the age and the physical and emotional maturity of the pupils’.  At Wilstead, we follow this guidance.

We reassure you that we have taught this subject for many years in primary education, and it is very carefully managed to ensure that it is age and stage appropriate. As parents, you teach your child important lessons about healthy relationships, how to look after themselves and how to stay safe. The new curriculum respects and values what you teach your child.

Like other schools, Wilstead has been teaching these topics for a number of years. As with other subjects, we work hard to make sure the lessons meet the needs of the children. We belive that these topics are essential in helping children deal with current experiences and also to prepare them for the next stage of their education and ultimately for adult life.

Difficult and Challenging Conversations

We believe that it is healthy for children to experience and show a range of emotions and we want to encourage them to talk to us about their questions, worries and feelings. Sometimes, things happen in children's lives that are hard for us to talk about. This might include family breakdowns or the death of a beloved pet, for example. 

Our curriculum covers many of these issues and it is always possible that a child might have 'big' feelings as a result of something that has been discussed or learned, or alternatively might come into school feeling unsettled about something that has happened outside. We encourage parents and carers to share with us to 'pre-empt' this - the more we are aware, the more we can positively support and reassure children. We have a wide range of books and resources that might help and will always endeavour to help families to navigate through difficult times and challenging conversations. 

Information for Parents and Carers - October 2023

In October 2023 Education Secretary Gillian Keegan wrote to all parents and carers reiterating expectations for schools in teaching Relationships, Health and Sex Education. A copy of this letter is attached below.

Our chosen curriculum provider, Kapow, responded with the following:

'Open communication is essential for the successful delivery of RSE, and we have designed materials to assist you with this. These were specifically created to be shared directly with parents and provide a clear and detailed overview of our RSE scheme.'

Please see the links below to access the materials provided for parents and carers by Kapow, and followed by Wilstead Primary School staff.

Information for Parents and Carers - March 2024

Recently the Department of Education renewed the advice and guidance they give to schools on the teaching of PSHE/RSHE. Below, please find a very useful summary guide published by the PSHE Association, the national body for the subject.

We are happy to answer any questions about the Wilstead RSHE curriculum - please ask tour class teacher or email the school office is you would like to know more!

Values in Relationships and Sex Education

Wilstead is a Values Based Education (VbE) School, and RSHE is taught within the context of these values which are woven throughout the Wilstead curriculum. We actively teach and promote our Values to ensure that pupils leave us well prepared for life in modern society.

The Values of Family, Friendship, Communication and Respect underpin much of the whole school RSHE curriculum. Pupils develop their ethical vocabulary and have opportunities to discuss issues such as Love, Consent, Self-Respect and Compassion, moral and ethical dilemmas and personal choices. As children move towards the upper Key Stages, they expand their reflective thinking to include issues such as Accountability, Honesty and Stewardship amongst others. 

British Values including Democracy, Rule of Law and Individual Liberty also feature consistently in Wilstead's wider whole school curriculum.

Please watch the video below for more information about VbE in the Relationships and Sex Education Curriculum, or click on the link to our School Values explanation.

Year Group Learning

Here you can find Knowledge Organisers for each year group. These set out the learning for each term, and enable parents to see what is being taught, vocabulary that will be used and concepts that will be discussed. This will help you to support and extend knowledge and understanding at home.