The aims of relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) at our school are to:

● Provide a framework in which sensitive discussions can take place

● Prepare learners for puberty, and give them an understanding of sexual development and the importance of health and hygiene

● Enable learners to develop feelings of self-respect, confidence and empathy

● Create a positive culture around issues of sexuality and relationships

● Teach pupils the correct vocabulary to describe themselves and their bodies.

Today’s children and young people are growing up in an increasingly complex world and living their lives seamlessly on and offline. This presents many positive and exciting opportunities, but also challenges and risks. In this environment, children and young people need to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way.

Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) must be age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate.

The content will be taught sensitively and inclusively, with respect for the backgrounds and beliefs of learners and parents/carers, while always with the aim of providing learners with the knowledge and vocabulary they need to prepare them to play a full part in society as responsible citizens.

These subjects also support our wider work in helping to foster learner wellbeing and develop character and personal attributes that we believe are fundamental to learners being happy, successful and productive members of society.

Central to this is the learner’s ability to believe that they can achieve goals, both academic and personal; to stick to tasks that will help them achieve those goals, even when the reward may be distant or uncertain; and to recover from knocks and challenging periods in their lives.

As an SEMH specialist school, mental health and well-being is core to all that we do and embedded throughout our teaching and learning, vision and values. As an organisation, we champion suicide prevention and awareness with staff training and development encompassing this. We were lead hosts for The Baton of Hope Basingstoke in 2025, raising awareness of suicide prevention throughout our wider community.  We also deliver Project Iris- Growing Hope, a suicide prevention programme for young people from 11- 25.  The skills and knowledge developed of our staff in this area are used to deliver age appropriate content to our learners as part of their experience with Inclusion, allowing for greater depth of understanding of suicide and grief. 

We know our young people can be particular vulnerable to outside influences which may present extreme views, particularly around misogyny, toxic masculinity, sexuality and gender. Our curriculum also has a focus on healthy relationships, using staff knowledge and expertise as well as potential external support when required using resources from providers such as White Ribbon and Stop Domestic Abuse and other organisations to support learning and understanding. 

RSE forms part of our PSHE and Growth and Readiness Curriculum as well as being embedded school wide with our core values such as Respect, Kindness, Community, Belonging, Inclusion, Growth, Compassion, Co-operation, Integrity and Acceptance.