RSE stands for Relationships and Sex Education. PSHE stands for Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education and often includes Citizenship. RSE and PSHE support pupils in understanding themselves, their relationships with others, and the world around them.
At St John’s C of E Primary School, our aim is that, through the RSE and PSHE curriculum, pupils develop the knowledge and skills needed to build healthy relationships, care for their physical and mental wellbeing, understand their role in society, and stay safe in a range of situations, including online.
Our RSE and PSHE curriculum is also guided by our Christian values of forgiveness, friendship, respect and perseverance, as we support every child to feel valued, safe and confident.
At St John’s CE Primary School, we believe that RSHE should:
• be an integral part of the lifelong learning process, beginning in early childhood and continuing into adult life.
• be an entitlement for all pupils in our care.
• allow children to explore, consider and gain an understanding of moral dilemmas.
• enable pupils to make informed and ethical decisions about their wellbeing, health and relationships.
• encourage every pupil to contribute to a school community that supports each individual as they grow and learn.
• be set within a wider school context that supports family commitment, love, respect, affection, knowledge and openness.
• celebrate the wide range of family structures in our school community, including single-parent families, same-sex parents, families headed by grandparents, young carers, kinship carers, adoptive parents, and foster parents/carers.
• promote love, respect, kindness, generosity and care for one another, as well as respect for the environment in which we live.
• encourage pupils and staff to share and listen to each other’s views, and to respect the right to hold and express different views.
• create an atmosphere where questions and discussions about personal matters can take place without stigma or embarrassment.
• teach the importance of boundaries, consent and respect in relationships, including online relationships with friends, peers and adults.
• prevent harm by helping young people understand and recognise when something is not right.
We believe our curriculum helps pupils to develop positive relationships and respect for one another, understand their emotions, and maintain their mental and physical wellbeing. Children learn how to keep themselves safe, including online, and are equipped to make informed choices about their health, relationships and future lives. They develop respect for others, an understanding of diversity, and the skills needed to contribute positively to society.
At St John’s Primary School, we use the Kapow Primary scheme to support the teaching of RSE and PSHE. This scheme provides a carefully structured, age-appropriate, spiral curriculum that follows statutory guidance (Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education, 2026) and ensures consistency across all year groups.
Key topic areas include:
My Healthy Self – learning how to look after mental and physical health and make choices that support wellbeing.
Connecting with Others – learning to build positive relationships, communicate with respect, and understand the importance of kindness and boundaries.
The Online World – learning to use the internet safely, recognise risks, and behave responsibly online.
Citizenship – learning how to contribute to communities, understand rules, rights and responsibilities, appreciate diversity and fairness, and develop early financial literacy.
Staying Safe – learning to recognise risks, respond safely in different situations, and seek help when something feels wrong.
Growing Up – learning about the changes that occur as children grow, including puberty, and how to manage these changes with confidence.
Health Protection – learning how to prevent illness, manage basic first aid, and understand how hygiene, vaccinations and healthy habits keep people well.
Lessons are typically taught weekly and are designed to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding so they can care for their wellbeing, build positive relationships and grow into respectful, responsible members of society. Lessons are engaging and carefully structured, often including discussion, stories, scenarios and reflection activities.
Pupils explore ideas through distancing techniques, using characters and scenarios rather than personal experiences, helping them to feel safe and comfortable. Our teaching staff establish clear ground rules to ensure a respectful environment where pupils listen to others, use appropriate language, and respect differences. Pupils are never required to share personal information, and participation is always managed sensitively by staff.
As part of RSHE, ‘Developing Bodies’ is delivered as part of the statutory programme. Pupils will learn:
• about growth and the ways the body changes and develops, particularly during adolescence.
• the correct names for body parts, understanding that these areas are private, and how to express personal boundaries.
• the facts about the menstrual cycle, including physical and emotional changes.
Sex Education
Learning about conception and birth within the Science National Curriculum is statutory. Following consultation with parents, and in line with DfE recommendations, our school supplements this with a non-statutory sex education unit. Parents and carers are consulted about the content of these lessons and are given the opportunity to withdraw their child from non-statutory elements if they wish.
In addition to weekly lessons, learning within RSHE is reinforced through responsive teaching, allowing staff to address real-life issues and helping to make learning relevant.
We believe our curriculum is inclusive and reflects the diversity of modern society, supporting pupils to develop empathy, respect and understanding. We aim to work in partnership with parents, ensuring transparency and supporting them in engaging with their child’s learning. Through our approach, all pupils receive clear, consistent and age-appropriate teaching, preparing them to make safe and informed choices now and in the future.
We encourage parents to:
• support their children’s personal, emotional and physical development alongside the school.
• stay informed about curriculum content and when topics are taught by accessing the information provided.
• complete school surveys and attend parent sessions when invited.
• foster an open and supportive home environment where children can discuss and build on what they have learned in school.
• contact the school if additional support is needed to access materials, information or policy documents.
Our aim is that, by the time pupils leave St John’s, they are confident, respectful individuals who can build healthy relationships, stay safe, and “shine bright” as part of the wider community and in their future lives.
Please see information below regarding the changes to RSE Curriculum and Policy.
Dear Parents/Carers,
