Relationship, Health and Sex Education (RHSE) 

As a part of your child’s educational experience at St. Michael's, we aim to promote personal wellbeing and development through a comprehensive taught programme of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education that gives children and young people the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and practical skills to live healthy, safe, productive and fulfilled lives, both now and in the future.

The Department for Education (DfE) has published updated statutory guidance for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education. The revised guidance will become statutory for schools in England from 1 September 2026. 

In primary schools, the updated DfE Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance continues to emphasise age-appropriate teaching, but places stronger focus on safeguarding, online safety and healthy relationships.

Learning about the emotional, social and physical aspects of growing up will give children and young people the information, skills and positive values to have safe, fulfilling relationships and help them take responsibility for their own well-being.

Statutory Guidance for RSE from the DfE

Each academic year, parents are informed of the content of their child's RSE lessons. Parents are invited to speak to school about questions they may have with regards to what their child is learning and how this meets statutory guidance. 

RSE Letter 2026

Equality, Diversity and Protected Characteristics

The Equality Act became law in 2010. It covers everyone in Britain and protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Everyone in Britain is protected. This is because the Equality Act protects people against discrimination because of the protected characteristics that we all have. Under the Equality Act, there are nine Protected  characteristics.

We teach our children, at an age-appropriate level, about these characteristics through our PSHE scheme (Jigsaw) our Collective Worship, the books that we share and through our wider curriculum. 

 

Additional Information

Jigsaw is a whole school approach to meeting the needs of the National Curriculum in regards to PHSE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) education.