Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)

Our approach to RSHE

At New Moston Primary School, we are committed to providing high-quality Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) that helps our children develop the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to build positive relationships, make informed choices and keep themselves safe.

RSHE is an important part of our wider curriculum and safeguarding provision. It supports children to understand themselves and others, develop healthy habits, recognise risks and know where to seek help when they need it.

Our approach reflects our school vision, Focused on Growth, Rooted in Pride, and our values of Growth, Standards, Attitude and Pride.

We believe that RSHE should be:

Age appropriate: reflecting children's age, development and understanding.
Carefully sequenced: building knowledge and skills progressively from EYFS to Year 6.
Factual and accurate: providing clear, reliable and appropriate information.
Inclusive and accessible: meeting the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Safeguarding focused: helping children recognise unsafe situations, understand personal boundaries and seek support.
Transparent: ensuring parents and carers understand what is taught and have opportunities to contribute.

Our aim is to equip every child with the knowledge and confidence to develop healthy relationships, maintain their wellbeing and navigate the world around them safely and responsibly.

What is RSHE?

Relationships, Sex and Health Education supports children's personal development through three interconnected areas.

Relationships Education

Relationships Education is statutory for all primary-aged pupils.

Children learn about:

Families and the people who care for them.
Caring friendships, kindness and respect.
Healthy and respectful relationships.
Personal boundaries, privacy and appropriate behaviour.
Recognising bullying, inappropriate contact and unsafe situations.
Online relationships and keeping safe online.
Knowing when and how to ask for help.

Teaching recognises that families take different forms and promotes respect for all children and their family circumstances.

Health Education

Health Education is statutory in state-funded primary schools.

Children learn about:

Physical health and healthy lifestyles.
Mental wellbeing and recognising emotions.
Healthy eating, exercise and sleep.
Personal hygiene and preventing illness.
Online wellbeing and managing digital experiences.
The risks associated with smoking, vaping, alcohol and other harmful substances.
Basic first aid and personal safety.
Growing and changing, including puberty and menstruation.

Teaching helps children develop positive habits, understand their bodies and recognise when they or someone else may need support.

Sex Education

Some learning about human growth, puberty and reproduction is already included within statutory Relationships Education, Health Education and the National Curriculum for science.

Primary schools may also provide additional, age-appropriate sex education beyond these statutory requirements.

At New Moston Primary School, our proposed approach is to provide a limited programme of non-statutory sex education in Year 6, focusing on human conception and birth.

This is intended to support children's understanding of human reproduction and prepare them appropriately for secondary education.

As part of our 2026 RSHE consultation, parents and carers are invited to review and comment on this proposed provision.

We will provide parents with clear information about the specific lessons and resources before non-statutory sex education is delivered.

How we teach RSHE

RSHE is delivered primarily through our Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education curriculum, using SCARF as our principal teaching programme.

This is complemented by relevant learning in science, computing, physical education, religious education and other curriculum areas.

Our curriculum is planned progressively from Early Years to Year 6, ensuring that children's knowledge and understanding develop over time.

Teaching is adapted to reflect pupils' age, maturity, prior knowledge and individual needs. Staff establish safe and respectful learning environments in which children can ask questions, explore important issues and develop the confidence to seek help.

Where necessary, additional support or adaptations are provided to ensure pupils with SEND can access essential learning about relationships, health, boundaries and safety.

Our RSHE curriculum

Parents and carers can review the planned curriculum for each year group, including the distinction between statutory learning and any additional non-statutory sex education.

RSHE Curriculum Overview – EYFS to Year 6

[Insert curriculum overview link]

Proposed Year 6 Non-Statutory Sex Education Overview

[Insert Year 6 curriculum information link]

Safeguarding and personal safety

RSHE plays an important role in our whole-school approach to safeguarding.

Through age-appropriate teaching, children develop the knowledge and skills to:

Recognise safe and unsafe situations.
Understand personal boundaries and privacy.
Identify appropriate and inappropriate contact.
Recognise bullying, harassment and harmful behaviour.
Understand risks associated with online activity.
Know which adults they can trust and approach for help.
Speak up when something makes them feel uncomfortable, worried or unsafe.

Our teaching is designed to build children's confidence, understanding and ability to make safe decisions, both online and offline.

Any safeguarding concerns arising during RSHE lessons are managed in accordance with the school's safeguarding procedures.

Working with parents and carers

We recognise that parents and carers play a central role in helping children develop an understanding of relationships, health and growing up.

We are committed to working in partnership with families and ensuring that our RSHE curriculum is open, transparent and accessible.

We aim to ensure parents understand:

What children are taught in each year group.
How topics are introduced and developed appropriately.
Which elements of the curriculum are statutory.
What additional non-statutory sex education is provided.
Which teaching materials and resources are used.
Their rights regarding withdrawal from non-statutory sex education.

Parents and carers may request to view the teaching materials used within our RSHE curriculum, including resources provided through SCARF or external organisations.

To request access to resources, ask questions or discuss any concerns, please contact the school office:

Email: admin@newmoston.manchester.sch.uk

Telephone: 0161 681 1055

Parental right to withdraw

Parents and carers do not have the right to withdraw their child from statutory Relationships Education, Health Education or the National Curriculum for science.

However, parents have the right to withdraw their child from some or all of the additional, non-statutory sex education provided in primary schools.

At New Moston, this applies to the proposed Year 6 sex education content concerning human conception and birth, where that content is outside statutory requirements.

Parents wishing to request withdrawal should contact the Headteacher in writing.

We will offer an opportunity to discuss the curriculum, clarify the specific content involved and consider any questions or concerns.

Where a parent requests withdrawal from non-statutory sex education, that request will be granted and appropriate alternative education will be provided.

RSHE Policy and statutory guidance

The Department for Education published revised statutory guidance for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education in July 2025, which came into effect on 1 September 2026.

The updated guidance strengthens expectations around online safety, respectful relationships, physical and mental wellbeing, safeguarding, personal safety and transparency with parents.

In response, New Moston Primary School has reviewed its approach to RSHE and prepared an updated policy reflecting the statutory requirements and the needs of our school community.

Draft RSHE Policy – November 2026

RSHE Policy 2026-2027

The draft policy is subject to consultation and formal approval by the Governing Body.

Department for Education statutory RSHE guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education

Parent and Carer Consultation – November 2026

We are inviting parents and carers to share their views on our updated RSHE Policy and proposed curriculum.

The consultation provides an opportunity for families to understand our approach, review the information available and contribute to the development of our RSHE provision before the policy is finalised and approved by governors.

Consultation dates

Opens: Monday 9 November 2026

Closes: Friday 27 November 2026

Documents for consultation

We encourage parents and carers to review the following documents before completing the questionnaire:

Draft RSHE Policy – November 2026
RSHE Policy 2026
RSHE Curriculum Overview – EYFS to Year 6
[Insert document link]
Proposed Year 6 Non-Statutory Sex Education Overview
[Insert document link]

Have your say

We welcome feedback on:

The clarity of our RSHE curriculum.
The age appropriateness of planned teaching.
The proposed approach to Year 6 sex education.
How we communicate curriculum information to parents.
Any questions, suggestions or concerns about our provision.

Complete our Parent and Carer RSHE Consultation Questionnaire

Parental Consultation

The questionnaire should take approximately five minutes to complete.

Parents who would prefer to provide feedback directly, discuss the curriculum or request to view teaching resources can contact the school office.

What happens after the consultation?

Following the consultation, school leaders will:

Review and consider the feedback received from parents and carers.
Consider age-appropriate pupil feedback and the views of staff.
Identify any appropriate amendments to the proposed policy or curriculum.
Present the revised RSHE Policy to the Full Governing Body for formal approval.
Publish the approved policy and a summary of the consultation outcomes on this webpage.

We value the views of our school community and appreciate the contribution of parents and carers in helping us provide an effective, inclusive and age-appropriate RSHE curriculum.

Focused on Growth, Rooted in Pride