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Greenhill Primary School

Relationships, Sex &Health Education (RSHE)

At Greenhill Primary, our aim is to help children grow into confident, healthy and responsible young people. Through a well-planned PSHE curriculum, we teach children the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to stay safe, build positive relationships and make healthy choices—both now and in the future.

Our approach reflects the Department for Education’s statutory guidance for Relationships Education, Health Education and (for secondary schools) RSE, taking into account updates that come into effect from September 2026. We review our curriculum regularly to ensure it remains age-appropriate, inclusive and responsive to the needs of our pupils and community.

Statutory Guidance

All primary schools must teach:

  • Relationships Education

  • Health Education

The latest statutory guidance, published by the Department for Education, can be found here:

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

Primary schools are not required to teach Sex Education beyond the elements included in the science curriculum and the statutory Health Education outcomes on puberty. However, schools may choose to teach additional content to prepare pupils for the next stage of their learning. We do so at Greenhill in a careful, age-appropriate way, informed by the guidance.

What Children Learn at Greenhill

Our curriculum follows the expectations set out in the DfE guidance and covers:

Relationships Education (statutory)

Children learn about:

  • families and people who care for them

  • friendships and respectful relationships

  • personal boundaries and privacy

  • bullying, including online bullying

  • online relationships and how to stay safe online

  • recognising unsafe situations and knowing how to seek help

Health Education (statutory)

Children learn about:

  • mental wellbeing, emotions and self-regulation

  • physical health, healthy lifestyles and physical activity

  • healthy eating and oral health

  • personal hygiene

  • basic first aid

  • risks, safety and prevention

  • puberty and changing bodies, including the emotional and physical changes children can expect as they grow up (statutory content)

This learning helps children develop the confidence and understanding they need to look after themselves and their wellbeing.

Sex Education in Primary Schools

The DfE does not require primary schools to teach Sex Education beyond:

  • the lifecycle content taught in science

  • and the puberty content within Health Education (which is statutory)

However, the guidance encourages primary schools to ensure pupils are prepared for the changes and challenges of growing up and transitioning to secondary school.

At Greenhill, we teach the following:

Statutory (must be taught):

  • physical and emotional changes during puberty

  • menstruation, including practical advice and support

  • personal hygiene during puberty

Non-statutory (chosen by the school):

To support pupils’ readiness for secondary school and promote safeguarding, we also teach age-appropriate content on:

  • how a baby is conceived and born (in simple, factual terms)

  • developing body autonomy and understanding private vs. public body parts

  • personal boundaries and consent in the context of safety

  • recognising unsafe behaviours and how to report concerns

We believe this helps children make sense of the changes they will experience and supports them to stay safe.

Right to withdraw

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from non-statutory sex-education content.
Parents cannot withdraw their child from:

  • Relationships Education

  • Health Education (including puberty)

  • the science curriculum

We always inform parents in advance of any planned sex-education lessons and make teaching materials available to view.

How We Teach Relationships, Health and Sex Education

We use Kapow Primary as our main resource for PSHE, including Relationships and Health Education. Kapow is fully aligned with DfE expectations and provides engaging, sequenced lessons that build year on year.

When planning and delivering the curriculum, we consider:

  • pupils’ age and developmental stage

  • emotional and physical maturity

  • cultural and religious backgrounds

  • SEND needs and inclusion

Our Relationships, Health and Sex Education Policy has been developed in consultation with parents, staff and governors and is reviewed regularly in line with new guidance.

Further Information

  • Kapow Primary PSHE Programme

  • Greenhill Primary RSE and Health Education Policy (updated for 2026 guidance)

 

 RSHE Policy

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