At St John Plessington Catholic College, Relationships, Sex and Health Education forms an important part of our wider Personal Development curriculum. Every year group receives a timetabled one-hour Personal Development lesson each fortnight, providing protected curriculum time for the delivery of RSHE and other key areas of Personal Development.
Our RSHE curriculum supports pupils to develop the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and skills they need to build healthy relationships, make informed choices and prepare for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.

Our provision is rooted in our Catholic ethos and reflects the dignity and worth of every person. It is delivered in a way that is age-appropriate, respectful and inclusive, while remaining faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church and recognising the different backgrounds, beliefs and experiences of our pupils.

Ten Ten Resources

We use the Ten Ten Life to the Full programme to support the delivery of our RSHE curriculum. Ten Ten provides age-appropriate resources, including presentations, films and discussion activities, to help pupils explore relationships, health and personal development.

The programme is rooted in a Catholic understanding of the human person while also enabling pupils to consider different perspectives and world views in line with statutory expectations.

The programme is structured around three main strands:
– Created and Loved by God
– Created to Love Others
– Created to Live in Community

These strands support pupils to explore identity, relationships, dignity, responsibility, health, community and their place in the wider world.

Statutory Entitlement and Parental Right to Request Withdrawal

Relationships Education and Health Education are statutory, and parents and carers do not have the right to withdraw their child from these areas of the curriculum. Parents and carers also cannot withdraw their child from content relating to human development and reproduction where this forms part of the statutory Science curriculum.
Parents and carers do have the right to request that their child is withdrawn from some or all of the sex education delivered as part of RSE. In secondary schools, the Headteacher will consider such requests in line with statutory guidance and may refuse a request in exceptional circumstances, for example where there are safeguarding concerns or a particular vulnerability.

From three terms before a pupil turns 16, the pupil can choose to opt back into sex education even if their parent has previously requested withdrawal. Schools should ensure that pupils are aware of this option.

Further information about our approach, curriculum content and the process for requesting withdrawal can be found in our Relationships, Sex and Health Education Policy.

RSHE enquiries: Please contact Mr M Jones, Subject Leader for Personal Development via the school office.