Some people are sometimes under the impression that schools catering for children with special needs are exempt from the laws regarding sex education. This assumption is false.

Mainstream schools and special schools have a duty to ensure that children with special educational needs and learning difficulties are properly included in sex and relationships education. (DfEE Guidance 2000 Page 12, section 1.26.)

The law states:-

• Sex education in the National Curriculum Science Orders is mandatory for all pupils of primary and secondary age. It covers biological aspects of sexual reproduction
• Primary schools should have a policy statement that describes the SRE provided outside of the NC Science Orders or gives a statement of the decision not to provide SRE
• Secondary schools must provide an SRE programme, which includes (as a minimum) information about STIs and HIV/AIDS
• All schools must provide, and make available for inspection, an up-to-date policy describing the content and organisation of SRE outside of National Curriculum Science. This is the school governors’ responsibility
• Parents have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of SRE provided outside National Curriculum Science
• SRE should contribute to preparing pupils for the “opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences of adult life"
• There is no prohibition on the teaching of sensitive issues in schools
• SRE must be placed in the context of moral values and family life
• Young people are to be protected from teaching and materials which are inappropriate, having regard to the age and the religious and cultural background of the pupils concerned
• School governing bodies should have regard for the DfEE SRE Guidance 2000
• Ofsted must evaluate and report on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural developments of pupils

National Curriculum guidance

Relevant statements are taken from the National Curriculum (1999). To view the full National Curriculum visit www.nc.uk.net

The Sex and Relationships Education Guidance (0116/2000) states that sex and relationships education (SRE) should be firmly rooted within the framework for personal, social and health education (PSHE) and Citizenship.

There is specific National Curriculum guidance for primary and secondary sex and relationships education programme in the following:

The National Curriculum Science Orders cover the biological aspects of sex education.

Key Stage 1 Science

• That animals including humans, move, feed, grow, use their senses and reproduce
• To recognise and compare the main external parts of the bodies of humans
• That humans and animals can produce offspring and these grow into adults
• To recognise similarities and differences between themselves and others and treat others with sensitivity

Key Stage 2 Science

• That the life processes common to humans and other animals include nutrition, growth and reproduction
• About the main stages of the human life cycle

Key Stage 3 Science

• About the physical and emotional changes that take place during adolescence
• About the human reproductive system including the menstrual cycle and fertilisation
• How the foetus develops in the uterus including the role of the placenta

Key Stage 4 Science

• The way in which hormonal control occurs, including the effects of sex hormones
• Some medical uses of hormones, including the control and promotion of fertility
• The defence mechanisms of the body
• How sex is determined in humans

Key Stage 1 PSHE

• To recognise what they like and dislike, what is fair and unfair, and what is right and wrong
• To share their opinions on things that matter to them and explain their views
• To recognise, name and deal with their feelings in a positive way
• To agree and follow rules for their group and classroom, and understand how rules help them
• To realise that people and other living things have needs, and that they have responsibilities to meet them
• That they belong to various groups and communities, such as family and school
• How to make simple choices that improve their health and well-being
• To maintain personal hygiene
• How some diseases spread and can be controlled
• About the process of growing from young to old and how people's needs change
• The names of the main parts of the body
• Rules for, and ways of, keeping safe, including basic road safety, and about people who can help them to stay safe
• To recognise how their behaviour affects other people
• To identify and respect the differences and similarities between people
• That family and friends should care for each other
• That there are different types of teasing and bullying, that bullying is wrong, and how to get help to deal with bullying

Key Stage 2 PSHE

• To talk and write about their opinions and explain their views on issues that affect themselves and society
• To recognise their worth as individuals by identifying positive things about themselves and their achievements, seeing their mistakes, making amends and setting personal goals
• To face new challenges positively by collecting information, looking for help, making responsible choices, and taking action
• To recognise, as they approach puberty, how people's emotions change at that time and how to deal with their feelings towards themselves, their family and others in a positive way
• To research, discuss and debate topical issues, problems and events
• To realise the consequences of anti-social and aggressive behaviours, such as bullying and racism, on individuals and communities
• That there are different kinds of responsibilities, rights and duties at home, at school and in the community, and that these can sometimes conflict with each other
• To reflect on spiritual, moral, social, and cultural issues, using imagination to understand other people's experiences
• To explore how the media present information
• What makes a healthy lifestyle, including the benefits of exercise and healthy eating, what affects mental health, and how to make informed choices
• That bacteria and viruses can affect health and that following simple, safe routines can reduce their spread
• About how the body changes as they approach puberty
• To recognise the different risks in different situations and then decide how to behave responsibly, including sensible road use, and judging what kind of physical contact is acceptable or unacceptable
• That pressure to behave in an unacceptable or risky way can come from a variety of sources, including people they know, and how to ask for help and use basic techniques for resisting pressure to do wrong
• School rules about health and safety, basic emergency aid procedures and where to get help
• That their actions affect themselves and others, to care about other people's feelings and to try to see things from their points of view
• To think about the lives of people living in other places and times, and people with different values and customs
• To be aware of different types of relationships, including marriage and those between friends and families, and to develop the skills to be effective in relationships
• To realise the nature and consequences of racism, teasing, bullying and aggressive behaviours, and how to respond to them and ask for help
• To recognise and challenge stereotypes
• That differences and similarities between people arise from a number of factors, including cultural, ethnic, racial and religious diversity, gender and disability
• Where individuals, families and groups can get help and support

Key Stage 3 PSHE

• To reflect on and assess their strengths in relation to personality, work and leisure
• To respect the differences between people as they develop their own sense of identity
• To recognise the stages of emotions associated with loss and change caused by death, divorce, separation and new family members, and how to deal positively with the strength of their feelings in different situations
• To recognise the physical and emotional changes that take place at puberty and how to manage these in a positive way
• In a context of the importance of relationships, about human reproduction, contraception, sexually transmitted infections, HIV and high-risk behaviours including early sexual activity
• About the effects of all types of stereotyping, prejudice, bullying, racism and discrimination and how to challenge them assertively
• How to empathise with people different from themselves
• About the nature of friendship and how to make and keep friends
• To recognise some of the cultural norms in society, including the range of lifestyles and relationships
• The changing nature of, and pressure on, relationships with friends and family, and when and how to seek help
• About the role and importance of marriage in family relationships
• About the role and feelings of parents and carers and the value of family life
• To recognise that goodwill is essential to positive and constructive relationships
• To negotiate within relationships, recognising that actions have consequences and when and how to make compromises
• To resist pressure to do wrong, to recognise when others need help and how to support thm
• To communicate confidently with their peers and adults

Key Stage 4 PSHE

• To have a sense of their own identity and present themselves confidently in a range of situations
• To recognise influences, pressures and sources of help and respond to them appropriately
• To think about the alternatives and long- and short-term consequences when making decisions about personal health
• To use assertiveness skills to resist unhelpful pressure
• To seek professional advice confidently and find information about health
• To be aware of exploitation in relationships
• To challenge offending behaviour, prejudice, bullying, racism and discrimination assertively and take the initiative in giving and receiving support
• To be able to talk about relationships and feelings
• To deal with changing relationships in a positive way, showing goodwill to others and using strategies to resolve disagreements peacefully
• About the nature and importance of marriage for family life and bringing up children
• To know about the statutory and voluntary organisations that support relationships in crisis

It is widely recognised that sex education should be more than solely science if it is to meet children’s needs. Ofsted guidance to all schools suggests the following broader learning outcomes for SRE. They give a basis for planning work to develop knowledge and understanding, values and attitudes and personal skills in SRE. They draw on DfES and other guidance on SRE and they reflect elements of the non-statutory framework for PSHE.

By the end of Key Stage 1

Pupils will be able to:

• Identify and share their feelings with others
• Recognise safe and unsafe situations
• Identify and be able to talk with someone they trust
• Be aware that their feelings and actions have an impact on others
• Make a friend, talk with them and share feelings
• Use simple rules for dealing with strangers and for resisting pressure when they feel
  uncomfortable or at risk

Pupils will know and understand:

• The basic rules for keeping themselves safe and healthy
• About safe places to play and safe people to be with
• The needs of babies and young people
• Ways in which they are like and different from others
• That they have some control over their actions and bodies
• The names of the main external parts of the body including agreed names for sexual
  parts
• Why families are special for caring and sharing

Pupils will have considered:

• Why families are special
• The similarities and differences between people
• How their feelings and actions have an impact on other people

By the end of Key Stage 2

Pupils will be able to:

• Express opinions, for example, about relationships and bullying
• Listen to, and support others
• Respect other people’s viewpoints and beliefs
• Recognise their changing emotions with friends and family and be able to express their feelings positively
• Identify adults they can trust and who they can ask for help
• Be self-confident in a wide range of new situations, such as seeking new friends
• Form opinions that they can articulate to a variety of audiences
• Recognise their own worth and identify positive things about themselves
• Balance the stresses of life in order to promote both their own mental health and well-being and that of others
• See things from other people’s viewpoints, for example their parents and their carers
• Discuss moral questions
• Listen to, support their friends and manage friendship problems
• Recognise and challenge stereotypes, for example in relation to gender
• Recognise the pressure of unwanted physical contact, and know ways of resisting it

Pupils will know and understand:

• That safe routines can stop the spread of viruses including HIV
• About the physical changes that take place at puberty, why they happen and how to
  manage them
• The many relationships in which they are all involved
• Where individual families and groups can find help
• How the media impact on forming attitudes
• About keeping themselves safe when involved with risky activities
• That their actions have consequences and be able to anticipate the results of them
• About different forms of bullying and the feelings of both bullies and victims
• Why being different can provoke bullying and to know why this is unacceptable
• About, and accept, a wide range of different family arrangements, for example second marriages, fostering, extended families and three or more generations living together

Pupils will have considered:

• The diversity of lifestyles
• Others’ points of view, including those of their parents or carers
• Why being different can provoke bullying and why this is unacceptable
• When it is appropriate to take a risk and when to say no and seek help
• The diversity of values and customs in the school and in the community
• The need for trust and love in established relationships

By the end of Key Stage 3

Pupils will be able to:

• Manage changing relationships
• Recognise risk of personal safety in sexual behaviour and be able to make safe decisions
• Ask for help and support
• Explain the relationship between their self-esteem and how they see themselves
• Develop skills of assertiveness in order to resist peer pressure and stereotyping
• See the complexity of moral, social and cultural issues and be able to form a view of
  their own
• Develop good interpersonal skills to sustain existing relationships as they grow and
  change and to help them make new relationships
• Be tolerant of the diversity of personal, social and sexual preference in relationships
• Develop empathy with the core values of family life in all its variety of forms
• Recognise the need for commitment, trust and love in meaningful relationships whichmay manifest themselves in a variety of forms, including marriage
• Recognise the stages of emotions in relation to loss and change caused by divorce,
  separation and new family members and how to manage their feelings positively

Pupils will know and understand:

• That fertilisation in humans is the fusion of a male and a female cell*
• The physical and emotional changes that take place during adolescence*
• About the human reproductive system, including the menstrual cycle and fertilisation*
• How the foetus develops in the uterus*
• How the growth and reproduction of bacteria and the replication of viruses can affect
  health*
• How the media influence understanding and attitudes towards sexual health
• How good relationships can promote mental well-being
• The law relating to sexual behaviour of young people
• The sources of advice and support
• About when and where to get help, such as at a genito-urinary medicine clinic

Pupils will have considered:

• The benefits of sexual behaviour within a committed relationship
• How they see themselves affects their self-confidence and behaviour
• The importance of respecting difference in relation to gender and sexuality
• How it feels to be different and be discriminated against
• Issues such as the costs of early sexual activity
• The unacceptability of prejudice and homophobic bullying
• What rights and responsibility mean in relationships.

By the end of Key Stage 4

Pupils will be able to:

• Recognise the influences and pressures around sexual behaviour and respond
  appropriately, and confidently seek professional health advice
• Manage emotions associated with changing relationships with parents and friends
• See both sides of an argument and express and justify a personal opinion
• Have the determination to stand up for their beliefs and values
• Make informed choices about the pattern of their lifestyle which promote well-being
• Have the confidence to assert themselves and challenge offending behaviour
• Develop qualities of empathy and sympathy and the ability to respond emotionally to the range and depth of feelings within close relationships
• Work co-operatively with a range of people who are different from themselves

Pupils will know and understand:

• The way in which hormonal control occurs, including the effects of the sex hormones*
• Some medical uses of hormones including the control and promotion of fertility*
• The defence mechanisms of the body*
• How sex is determined in humans*
• How HIV and other sexually transmitted infections affect the body
• The link between eating disorders and self-image and sexual identity
• The risks of early sexual activity and the link with the use of alcohol
• How the different forms of contraception work and where to get advice
• The role of statutory and voluntary organisations
• The law in relation to sexual activity for young people and adults
• How their own identity is influenced by both their personal values and those of their
  family and society
• How to respond appropriately within a range of social relationships
• How to access the statutory and voluntary agencies which support relationships in crisis
• The qualities of good parenting and its value to family life
• The benefits of marriage or a stable partnership in bringing up children
• The way different forms of relationships, including marriage, depend for their success on maturity and commitment

Pupils will have considered:

• Their developing sense of sexual identify and feel confident and comfortable with it
• How personal, family and social values influence behaviour
• The arguments around moral issues such as abortion, contraception and the age of
  consent
• The individual contributions made by partners in a sustained relationship and how these can be of joy or benefit to both
• The consequences of close relationships including having children and how this will
  create family ties which impact on their lives and those of others

Download and use the audit tool, which is based on the Ofsted recommendations, to find out how much you are already covering.

Once you’ve seen what the gaps are, the remaining sex and relationships education can be integrated into the broader PSHE curriculum.
If you need help to meet these gaps or other elements identified through consultation as needs please contact the SRE specialist for Nottingham City

When you are developing and implementing your programme good practice would be to ensure that as well as being planned and delivered in line with Ofsted recommendations and QCA guidance that:-

• Representatives from the whole school community have been consulted and pupils needs are identified
• You plan to address the needs of the pupils by delivering SRE to every year group within a broader PSHE programme through which continuity and progression are evident and which includes information, social skills development and values clarification
• The lessons are planned to ensure they meet the needs of both genders, of vulnerable pupils, of pupils from different family situations and of the different faiths and cultures represented in the school community
• Those expected to deliver the sessions are comfortable and confident to do so and have a sound knowledge of local community health services and confidential support services
• The full programme has been discussed with the pupils and has been made available to parents
• The clarification of the intended learning outcomes is established as a matter of routine
• The development, agreement, display and/or revisiting of ground rules is built into the start of every unit of work with the meaning of confidentiality being made clear and where pupils, staff and local services stand in terms of confidentiality
• Appropriate language for use in the classroom is agreed, slang terms being accepted only rarely at the discretion of the teacher as long as correct terminology is acknowledged
• Strategies for answering difficult questions are established such as the use of an anonymous question box. With signposting to parents and other appropriate services made clear as necessary
• Active teaching and learning styles are adopted wherever possible to involve the pupils in their own learning
• Distancing techniques are used
• Visitors to the classroom work closely with the classroom teacher, being used to support the planned programme rather than relying on them to solely cover aspects of the programme
• Time is built into each session for the pupils to reflect on their own learning
• Self and group assessment and evaluation take place alongside teacher evaluation at the end of a unit of work and that this is utilised to record pupils’ progress and to inform future planning

• Teachernet SRE site
• Sex Education Forum
• NCB - SRE site
• Contact the SRE specialist
• National Curriculum Site