Bonar Bridge Primary School ‘SHARE’ Information Evening

1. Bonar Bridge Primary School ‘SHARE’ Information Evening (Sexual Health and Relationships Education)

2. Outline of Presentation • Curriculum for Excellence and Highland Council policy • Why is there a need for SHARE Education? • An outline of each of the key areas: • Relationships • Sexual Health • Parenthood • What we are asking of you • Where we go from here

3. Health & Wellbeing and Curriculum for Excellence • “Learning in health and wellbeing ensures that children and young people develop the knowledge and understanding, skills, capabilities and attributes which they will need for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing now and in the future.” Curriculum for Excellence; Health and Wellbeing: principles and practice.

4. SHARE Education & The Highland Council • Every member of staff employed by the council should act in the best interests of the child or young person on every occasion. • Following the principles of GIRFEC (Getting it Right for Every Child) and • SHANARRI (Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible and Included). • As from August 2016, this requirement is enacted in law through the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2015. • Highland Council Learning Policy • Dornoch Firth 3-18 Campus policy on Equalities and Diversity

5. Highland Council Framework for SHARE Education (our new approach) • A group comprising of Teachers, Head-teachers, Health Advisors and others have met to consider how the best interests of children and young people are served within this curricular area, how we can support young people to gain the knowledge they need at the times when they need it and how inclusion can be assured.

6. The frameworks currently cover; • Relationships • Sexual Health • Parenthood • Planning for Choices and Changes

7. Relationships: • Early Years – Friendships, feelings, appropriate and inappropriate touching (NSPCC), awareness of parts of the body that are private to them. • P1-7 will be learning about the NSPCC campaign which is based around the friendly dinosaur Pantosaurus – talking PANTS is a simple way for the children to learn how to stay safe from abuse.

8. Relationships continued… • P3 pupils will progress onto learning about how to react appropriately as friendships and relationships change • Learn about separating appropriate and inappropriate behaviours e.g. bullying • P5 pupils should be able to identify issues surrounding loss and grief and related emotions and develop an understanding of the terms relationships, family andcouple • P7 pupils’ learning could be extended to include teaching that sometimes people want and need to be alone, the differences in relationships including those between friends and family and to be able to explain the definition of abuse e.g. domestic and child • Older pupils – extension of the NSPCC PANTS campaign - keeping yourself safe online.

9. Sexual Health Framework Overview: The age of puberty and its effect on Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood. • For many children, they area entering school age 5 and therefore reaching puberty before or by P6/7. • Girls and boys need to learn about the physical and emotional changes they and their peers may face during puberty and how to maintain appropriate personal hygiene. • Some children will learn about puberty from their parents which is welcomed. However, for many, this does not happen for whatever reason.

10. Links between teaching about puberty, sexual intercourse and childbirth: • Puberty occurs as the body prepares for the adult domains of intimate relationships including those that involve sexual intercourse, and childbirth. • Learning around puberty which did not also entail a basic grasp of these adult domains would not fully meet the educational needs of children. • Research on teaching about sexual intercourse (evidence supports the fact that early learning about sex and relationships does not lead to young people having sex earlier). • Learning about sexual intercourse and childbirth should be developed in tandem with learning about puberty.

11. The language used • Rights of the Child • Child Protection • Inclusion • Guidance provided in the Highland Council Sexual Health Framework as to what language is appropriate to learn at each stage – from nursery through to Senior Phase ( not mandatory)

12. Parenthood • Early Years (Nursery – P3) • Right to a particular level of care • Awareness of family groups • Cleanliness and keeping healthy • Awareness that parents, teachers, doctors, dentists etc. all have roles in offering help or advice. • Be aware of some of the basic needs and how to care for a baby.

13. Parenthood continued… • P4 onwards: • - demonstrate some basic skills in caring for a ‘baby’ • Be able to recognise the differences between wants and needs • Know the role of a parent

14. Highland Council Frameworks 10 minutes to explore the materials on the tables before we finish: Parenthood Sexual Health Relationships NSPCC PANTS campaign

15. Involving you as parents/carers • Parental involvement and support is vital to the success of Sexual Health and Relationships Education. • Curriculum for Excellence 4 Capacities – Responsible Citizens

17. Bonar Bridge Primary School ‘SHARE’ Information Evening (Sexual Health and Relationships Education)