It is our intention to deliver a Relationships and Sex Education Curriculum (RSE) that truly enables our students to live “life to the full” (John 10:10).

We aim to deliver RSE in an objective, balanced and sensitive manner set within a clear framework of Christian Values.

Our RSE curriculum empowers children to make positive choices and develop themselves as unique and significant individuals.  We endeavour to provide children with age appropriate information.  We encourage them to explore attitudes and values and develop skills in order to empower them to make positive decisions about their health and relationship related behaviour.

At St Elizabeth's we use the Ten:Ten ‘Life to the Full’ resources to support us in our delivery of the RSE curriculum.  ‘Life to the Full’ is a fully resourced Scheme of Work in Relationships Education for Catholic primary schools, which embraces and fulfils the Statutory Requirements 2020.  This programme is rooted in a Christian understanding of the human person and is based on "A Model Catholic RSE Curriculum" provided by the Catholic Education Service.  The programme adopts a spiral curriculum approach so that as children go through the programme year after year, their learning will develop and grow, with each stage building on the last.  

We teach RSE as a discrete subject with 10 sessions taught every academic year in each year group; 3 sessions in Autumn Term, 3 sessions in Spring Term and 4 sessions in Summer Term.  Where possible, our RSE teaching weaves into our RE curriculum, increasing the relevance and meaning of the learning.

RSE is taught using a range of teaching methodologies including story-telling, drama, discussions, individual private reflection and debating.  This wide range of teaching strategies promotes engagement by all pupils, irrespective of preferred learning styles.  Distancing techniques, such as the use of characters within RSE, prevents pupils from feeling under pressure to participate or disclose information beyond that which is appropriate or feels comfortable.  This strategy makes RSE accessible to all pupils.  The school’s responsibility to safeguard pupils is evident through the curriculum content taught.

At St Elizabeth’s, all RSE is in accordance with the Church’s moral teaching.  It emphasises the central importance of marriage and the family, whilst acknowledging that all pupils have a fundamental right to have their life respected, whatever household they come from.  It also prepares pupils for life in modern Britain.

We recognise the important role that parents play as the first educators of their children and communication and consultation with parents is integral to our RSE curriculum.  Parents are able to access what their children will be learning in RSE on the ‘Life to the Full’ Parents’ Portal.  Login details for the Parents' Portal are shared with parents at the beginning of each academic year and can also be requested from the school office.

Parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all Sex Education delivered as part of the statutory RSE curriculum.  For more information on our RSE curriculum, please refer to the Relationships and Sex Education policy below. 

For more information about our RSE programme, please visit the Ten:Ten website.