Alsager Highfields RSHE Parent Consultation
Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)
As part of your child’s educational experience at Alsager Highfields Primary School, we are committed to supporting their personal development, wellbeing and safety through a comprehensive programme of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education, including Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE).
Our curriculum provides children with the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills they need to lead safe, healthy, positive and fulfilling lives, both now and in the future.
From 1 September 2026, schools in England are required to have regard to the Department for Education’s revised statutory guidance for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education. The updated guidance builds upon the previous statutory requirements and reflects the changing experiences and challenges faced by children and young people.
You can read the latest statutory guidance here:
At primary school, Relationships Education is compulsory for all pupils, and Health Education is also compulsory in schools other than independent schools. The statutory duties are set out in the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (England) Regulations 2019.
The revised guidance continues to focus strongly on helping children develop healthy, respectful relationships and keeping themselves and others safe. It places increased emphasis on issues relevant to children growing up today, including online safety and wellbeing, personal safety, accurate terminology for body parts, communication and assertiveness, boundaries, and understanding change, loss and bereavement.
High-quality RSHE also plays an important safeguarding role. Through carefully sequenced and age-appropriate learning, children develop the knowledge and skills to recognise when something may not be right, understand boundaries and know when and how to seek help. The revised guidance emphasises the development of positive characteristics including resilience, self-worth, self-respect, honesty, integrity, courage, kindness and trustworthiness.
Our RSHE curriculum
We regularly review our RSHE curriculum and policy to ensure that our provision meets current statutory requirements and is appropriate for the pupils at Alsager Highfields Primary School.
When planning and delivering RSHE, we take account of pupils':
- age and stage of development;
- physical and emotional maturity;
- religious and cultural backgrounds;
- special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The revised DfE guidance specifically addresses equality, religion and belief, pupils with SEND, safeguarding and the management of difficult questions.
We are also committed to working openly and positively with parents and carers.
Working with parents and carers
Our RSHE curriculum and policy have been developed through consultation with relevant professionals, staff, governors and parents. Feedback from this consultation has helped us make informed decisions about how and when particular areas of learning are taught.
We recognise that parents and carers play a vital role in their children’s education, and we are committed to ensuring that families understand what is being taught and why.
At Alsager Highfields Primary School, we teach the statutory requirements for Relationships Education and Health Education, alongside the relevant content within the National Curriculum for Science. We do not teach additional, non-statutory sex education.
Parents and carers do not have the right to withdraw their child from statutory Relationships Education, Health Education or the aspects of human growth and reproduction that form part of the National Curriculum for Science. The parental right to request withdrawal applies only where a primary school chooses to provide sex education beyond the statutory curriculum.