Health, Sex and Drug Education

St Mary’s holds National Healthy Schools Status. Health education is part of the preparation of the individual for personal, social and family responsibilities. We believe that health education should be a continuous experience fostering self-esteem and giving each child those skills, concepts and attitudes which promote the continuous development of personal and social responsibility.

Sex education is part of the health education programme and is taught with the aim of encouraging due regard to moral considerations and the value of family life.

In Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 the emphasis in sex education is on establishing goodrelationships and exploring feelings as the children have opportunities to discuss things which make them happy, sad or angry. Family life is discussed with due sensitivity to the variety of family circumstances experienced by the children. Science in the National Curriculum gives opportunities to discuss the needs and growth and development of babies and the role of parents.

In Key Stage 2 there is greater emphasis on preparing children for the physical and emotionalchanges and challenges of growing up. Children will have opportunities to gain an elementaryunderstanding of human reproduction. Significant aspects of sex education remain part of thescience curriculum and must be taught to all children. The moral framework within which sexeducation will be taught is consistent with the overall Christian ethos of the school.

Parents may have access to the content of all curriculum areas in the school including healtheducation and sex education. Parents are invited to view the teaching materials and byarrangement, may accompany their children at the talks on sex education for Y6 classes.

The school takes the problem of drug misuse seriously and has adopted policies for drug education in the school which are in line with national and local guidelines.