Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) at Ordsall Primary School

At Ordsall Primary School, Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) is taught as a distinct subject that supports pupils to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to lead safe, healthy and respectful lives.

RSHE helps pupils to understand themselves and others, build positive and respectful relationships, make informed choices and know how and when to seek help. It plays a vital role in safeguarding, wellbeing and preparing pupils for life in modern Britain.

RSHE forms a core part of our RESPECT curriculum, which reflects our school values and our commitment to supporting pupils to Play, Learn and Grow Together. Through this curriculum, pupils develop emotional literacy, self-regulation, empathy and a strong sense of belonging.

We follow the statutory RSHE guidance, with a clear ambition that pupils leave Ordsall with the confidence, language and understanding to apply their learning appropriately in real-life situations.

Our RSHE Curriculum

Our RSHE curriculum is built around two forms of knowledge:

Substantive knowledge
The factual content pupils are taught and expected to remember, including understanding families and relationships, physical and mental health, online safety, puberty and growing up, consent, rights and responsibilities, money and work, and how to stay safe in different contexts.

Disciplinary knowledge
How pupils learn to apply RSHE learning in real life. This includes developing the ability to recognise concerns, make safe and responsible decisions, communicate boundaries and consent, seek help, challenge harm appropriately and understand when issues require safeguarding action beyond classroom learning.

Clear progression maps set out what pupils should know, do and understand in each year group. Learning is deliberately sequenced so that understanding builds cumulatively from Early Years to Year 6, supporting increasing independence, maturity and confidence over time.

How RSHE Is Taught

RSHE is taught through planned lessons that are age-appropriate, inclusive and carefully sequenced.

As part of the wider RESPECT curriculum, pupils also receive:

• Explicit teaching of British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance

• Explicit teaching about protected characteristics, helping pupils understand diversity, equity and inclusion, and to recognise the importance of fairness, respect and belonging for everyone

Alongside this, pupils take part in:

• Zones of Regulation, supporting children to recognise, understand and manage their emotions and behaviour

• Regular circle times, where pupils discuss feelings, relationships and contextualised safeguarding issues most relevant to our school community

These approaches ensure that RSHE learning is reinforced consistently and linked to pupils’ real experiences, concerns and needs.

Teaching is designed to ensure that pupils:

• understand key concepts and expectations clearly

• have opportunities to talk, reflect and ask questions in a safe and supportive environment

• practise applying learning to realistic scenarios

• know who to speak to if they are worried or need support

Thinking and Acting Responsibly

Pupils are taught to think and act responsibly through regular opportunities to:

• recognise safe and unsafe situations

• make informed choices and understand consequences

• communicate feelings, boundaries and consent clearly

• seek support from trusted adults and appropriate services

• understand rights, responsibilities and the role of laws in protecting people

Disciplinary language in RSHE is closely linked to the actions and safeguarding behaviours pupils are learning to carry out. This language is introduced early and revisited regularly so pupils can explain concerns clearly and act appropriately when needed.

Inclusion and Impact

We are committed to ensuring that all pupils can access and succeed in RSHE. Teaching is adapted to support individual needs without lowering expectations, and sensitive topics are handled carefully, respectfully and in line with statutory guidance.

The impact of our RSHE curriculum is seen in pupils’ growing confidence to talk about their wellbeing, respectful behaviour towards others, understanding of how to keep themselves safe, and their ability to seek help when something is wrong.