PSHRE Curriculum Information for Parents / Carers

We pride ourselves on the provision of a broad and balanced curriculum offer. We are in the fortunate position of already providing a comprehensive Personal, Social, Health and Relationships Education (PSHRE) to all of our young people.

PHSE Curriculum Maps | pdf

Age-appropriate PSHRE is woven through our wider curriculum – for example through the form time programme, Focus Days, science, PE, English, RE and humanities.

We understand that some parents and carers may have read or heard reports about the new national PSHRE guidance. In order that you have accurate information about what your child will be learning we have provided a description below:

Families

This covers – different types of relationships; how relationships contribute to happiness; legal rights; consent; the rights, roles and responsibilities of parenting; learning about trust in relationships and how to seek advice.

Respectful Relationships, including Friendships

This covers – positive and healthy relationships of all kinds (including online and cyber-bullying); the dangers of stereotypes; the impact of bullying and how to get help; the Equality Act 2010, including protected characteristics.

Online and Media

This covers – acceptable online behaviour and risks, including accessing and sharing material; learning about the internet and the law; understanding how internet data is used; reporting concerns and seeking advice.

Being Safe

This covers – the concepts of, and laws relating to, sexual consent, sexual exploitation, abuse, grooming, coercion, harassment, rape, domestic abuse, forced marriage, honour-based violence and FGM; how these can affect current and future relationships; how people can actively communicate and recognise consent from others, including sexual consent; how and when consent can be withdrawn (in all contexts, including online).

Mental Well-being

This covers – how to talk about your emotions sensitively and accurately, using appropriate language; how to recognise early signs of mental well-being concerns; the benefits of physical exercise, time outdoors and community; that happiness is linked to being connected to others.

Internet Safety and Harms

This covers – how to identify and avoid harmful behaviours online; how to report and find support if you have been affected by those behaviours.

Physical Health and Fitness

This covers – the characteristics of a healthy lifestyle; maintaining a healthy weight; the links between an inactive lifestyle and ill health; the science relating to blood, organ and stem cell donation.

Healthy Eating

This covers – how to maintain healthy eating; the links between a poor diet and health risks.

Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco

This covers – the facts about legal drugs, illegal drugs and alcohol and their associated risks (legal, physical and psychological); the facts about the harmful risks of smoking tobacco.

Health and Prevention

This covers – personal hygiene; dental health; self-examination and screening; immunisations; the importance of a good night’s sleep.

Basic First Aid

This covers – how to treat basic common injuries; life-saving skills, including administering CPR; the purpose of defibrillators; the changing adolescent body and puberty, including menstrual well-being.

Intimate and Sexual Relationships including Sexual Health

This covers – loyalty and respect in friendships and intimate relationships; impact of relationships on all aspects of health and wellbeing; consent and sexual pressure; reproduction and fertility; contraception; pregnancy; infections and treatment; where to access support and confidential advice.

Sex Education in secondary schools is a statutory component of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE). It focuses on teaching pupils the facts and principles about human sexuality:

Human reproduction and sexual health
Contraception and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
The law relating to sexual behaviour and consent
The emotional, social, and physical aspects of sexual relationships

The aim is to ensure pupils have accurate knowledge to make informed decisions, maintain personal safety, and understand the responsibilities and consequences associated with sexual activity. Sex Education is taught in an age-appropriate, inclusive, and sensitive manner, reflecting safeguarding principles and promoting respect for all.

Only the below sessions at Levenshulme High School (all delivered in Year 11) count as Sex Education:

Sexually-transmitted Infections
Sexual Pressure
Viewing Harmful Materials
Contraception

These are all taught by trained staff and designed to offer advice around consent, safety and the law.

Relationships Education and sessions promoting safety and law are all mandatory, for example, sexual violence and harassment are considered Relationship Education not Sex Education, which is mandatory in the most recent RSE curriculum.

Our Trust policy for PSHRE has been updated to meet the most recent statutory curriculum and explains our approach, including parental right for withdrawal from sex education. Please find the latest version of this policy on our policies page.

Further Information

Please follow this link to the full, current version of the statutory guidance.

The Department for Education has explained some of the common misconceptions around the new RSE curriculum on their website – there are links to versions in Urdu, Arabic and Somali at the bottom of the webpage too.