Personal, social, health and emotional education (PSHE), and relationships and sex education (RSE) or relationships, health and sex education (RSHE), is of increasing importance for children and young people.
Use this template letter to structure your communication with parents about RSE/RSHE. It can be tailored depending on the topics you have chosen to cover, and the age of the pupils.
For some parents, the idea that their children are being educated on topics such as homosexuality, pornography or consent is a major worry.
One of the most common misconceptions is that by learning about these topics, pupils are being encouraged to start sexual activity or becoming confused about their sexuality.
For schools, this makes it difficult to maintain the balance between keeping parents informed of subjects being taught, and making sure pupils are not taken out of class and missing out on vital education.
This template letter can be used to structure your communication with parents about RSE/RSHE. It can be tailored depending on the topics you have chosen to cover, and the age of the pupils.
The lists included are suggestions. It’s important not to shy away from including topics, such as pornography, that you know some parents may be alarmed by. The template will help you explain why you believe such topics should be included and the additional FAQ sheet demonstrates that you are well aware of parental worries and are not dismissing them out of hand.
As a school, you need to be clear in what your ethos is and how it can enable parents to trust your judgement.
