NOTE: This consultation was initially publicised via the Parent Bulletin on the 10th of June 2022 with a closing date of 24th of June and responses were received.  It has been temporarily reopened on 3rd July until 6th July at 9am after contact with a stakeholder that was unaware of the consultation running.

Over this school year we have been engaging in a review of our Relationship and Sex Education Policy.  This is linked to ensuring that the school meets the requirements of the Department for Education (DfE) statutory framework as well as making sure that we give parents timely information about what is covered and in what year group.

As a school we understand that this is a complex topic and something that people will often have differing views so have taken time to hear these views both via email and also at Stage 1 of this consultation where we had parents (15), parent governors (3) and staff governors (2) in attendance.    This feedback has been crucial to our work on this policy and we would again like to thank those parents that were able to attend or that sent in emails for their time and thoughts.

All feedback received has been collated, reviewed and then discussed by the Senior Leadership Team and has resulted in the following changes since the last draft:

- Relationship and Sex Education should be taught as a block to allow communications to parents at the start of the academic year and then 2 weeks before it is taught.  This will ensure parents have the option to withdraw students should they so wish and have received information twice in an academic year.

- That Relationship and Sex Education is delivered after the February half-term so students are a little older in each year group

- In Year 7 and Year 8 we will define sex only in general and and talk about making contact/touching other peoples private areas (not defining Anal, Oral, etc until older).  STI's will be covered in Year 8 but in general and not specific outcomes.  A number of other changes have been made in terms of when content if covered with some moving to later age groups.

- We will be reviewing all videos (and in fact all lessons) before they are used again from February 2023 to ensure senior staff are happy with the content and meet the definitions used above in Years 7 and 8 and match the final policy we adopt.  Videos will be expected to come from organisations such as the NHS or shared with the school senior team for checking before use.

- Laws of Consent will be stated in each Relationship and Sex Education that covers Sex.  Draft wording covering consent is in the draft policy and is adapted for use before the age of 13 (years 7 and 8) and after the age of 13 (year 9 to Year 11).  

- Ensured that pregnancy is covered as an outcome of sex in the draft policy as this was not included in the last draft (which seemed silly!)

- Included in the policies example letters for communicating to parents content to be covered

- Decided as a school we will hold 'Start Up Parent Briefings' at the start of each school year to inform parents important elements of the coming year for their children and also use this as an opportunity to detail content covered in that year group.  These will be advertised nearer the time.

- Adjusted text to make it clearer how parents can withdraw from Relationship and Sex Education lesson and how they will be able to opt back in later if they should decide.

What now?

It is now important that we seek views from the full parent body of the present draft policy so we have any other areas of improvement/changes made before it goes to Full Governors (7th July 2022) for consideration for adoption ready for September 2023.

How can we read and respond?

You can find the draft policy at: Draft Policy

Feedback can be left via our form at: Feedback Form

Deadline for responses: Friday 24th of June 2022 (first closure).  Temporarily reopened until 6th July 2022 at 9am.