STATEMENT ON RELATIONSHIPS, SEX AND HEALTH EDUCATION (RSE & HE) 2026
At The Rosewood School (TRS), we are committed to delivering a high-quality, age-appropriate programme of Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), and Health Education (HE) in line with statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) and best practice guidance from the PSHE Association.
In primary-aged provision, pupils receive statutory Relationships Education and Health Education. In secondary-aged provision, pupils receive statutory Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) alongside Health Education as part of a comprehensive PSHE curriculum.
For clarity, this statement refers to these elements collectively as RSE & HE.
Curriculum Design and Review
The TRS RSE & HE curriculum is:
• Planned and sequenced to build knowledge progressively from early years through to secondary education.
• Inclusive and responsive, reflecting the needs, backgrounds, and experiences of all pupils.
• Regularly reviewed and updated, with input from pupils, parents, staff, and governors.
The curriculum reflects statutory requirements, including teaching about:
• Healthy, respectful relationships
• Consent and personal boundaries
• Online safety, including harmful content and grooming
• Physical health, mental wellbeing, and puberty
• Equality, diversity, and inclusion
• Partnership with Parents and Pupils
TRS values strong partnerships with parents and carers. We aim to ensure that:
• Parents are fully informed about curriculum content and delivery.
• Pupils feel safe, respected, and able to express their views.
• Any concerns or questions about RSE & HE are addressed openly and sensitively.
• Parents receive a termly newsletter highlighting which topics will be taught
Our policies are available on the school website and are reviewed annually.
Aims of RSE & HE at TRS
RSE & HE is a vital part of pupils’ lifelong learning about relationships, health, and wellbeing. It aims to equip pupils with the knowledge, skills, and values they need to lead safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives. The curriculum is designed to promote belonging, emotional safety, resilience, and positive participation in school and wider society.
We aim to:
• Provide a safe, inclusive environment for discussing sensitive topics
• Support pupils to understand healthy, respectful relationships, including friendships, family relationships, and intimate relationships
• Prepare pupils for puberty and adulthood, including physical and emotional changes
• Develop pupils’ self-esteem, resilience, and confidence
• Promote understanding of consent, personal boundaries, and respect
• Equip pupils to recognise and respond to risks, including bullying, peer pressure, exploitation, and online harm
• Teach pupils to use accurate vocabulary to describe their bodies and feelings
• Foster respect for diversity, including different cultures, religions, sexual orientations, and identities
• Promote physical health and mental wellbeing, including how to seek help and support
Key Principles
• RSE & HE is delivered in a way that is age-appropriate, inclusive, and evidence-based.
• Teaching is sensitive and respectful, recognising the diverse values and backgrounds of pupils and families.
• The programme does not encourage early sexual activity; rather, it provides pupils with the knowledge and skills to make informed, responsible decisions.
• Safeguarding is central: pupils are taught how to recognise unsafe situations and seek help
• Teaching is delivered using trauma-informed and relational approaches which recognise the individual experiences, strengths, and barriers faced by pupils.
• The curriculum is regularly adapted in response to emerging safeguarding risks, including online exploitation, AI-generated imagery, image-based abuse, and harmful online influences
TRS Values and RSE & HE
Our RSE & HE curriculum reflects and promotes the core values of TRS by:
• Encouraging respect, empathy, and kindness in all relationships
• Supporting pupils to develop responsibility and integrity
• Promoting inclusion and acceptance of difference
• Helping pupils become confident, informed, and responsible members of society
• Encouraging pupils in pupil voice to play an important role in shaping and reviewing the curriculum to ensure it remains relevant and responsive.
• Helping pupils become confident, respectful, and responsible members of society who are prepared for life beyond school
At TRS, RSE & HE is not viewed as a standalone subject but as a central part of the school’s wider commitment to safeguarding, inclusion, wellbeing, and preparation for adulthood