Dear Parent/Carer,
During the summer term Year 7 students, as part of their Citizenship course, will be participating in 3 lessons focused on puberty and menstruation.
The lessons will be dealt with in a balanced, sensitive way with age appropriate resources. The intention of these lessons is to enable students to recognise the changes that take place during adolescence, and for them to develop self-awareness and self-esteem through learning about the changes that they will go through.
At JPA, as with all maintained schools, we are required to implement the 2019 Government statutory guidance ‘Relationships Educations, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education’ published by the DFE.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education
The document states that ‘Relationships and Sex and Health Education (RSHE) are compulsory for all pupils receiving secondary education’.
The Government documentation on statutory RSHE 2019 states - ‘Parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education delivered as part of statutory RSHE. There is no right to withdraw from Relationships Education or Health Education’
The topics of puberty and menstruation are define by both the DFE government statutory guidance and JPA as Relationships and Health Education, so for the 3 upcoming lessons there is no right to withdraw your child. The purpose of this letter is therefore to inform you about the upcoming lessons so you can discuss them with with your child if you wish.
The guidance states that all students at Secondary level - ‘Pupils should know
- key facts about puberty, the changing adolescent body and menstrual wellbeing.
- the main changes which take place in males and females, and the implications for emotional and physical health’
To view the JPA RSHE policy follow the link below or visit the policy section of our website.
https://www.jesmondparkacademy.org.uk/_filecache/bfc/854/7580-jpa-sex-and-relationship-education-policy-sre-2022-2023.pdf
The lessons will be delivered week beginning the 8th June, 15th June and 22nd June in your child’s Citizenship lesson by their Citizenship teacher.
The resources that will be used are available on the Year 7 Citizenship One Drive if you would like to see the material being used in lessons.
If you have any questions relating to these lessons or RSHE at JPA, please do not hesitate to contact me at school:
jmetcalfe@jesmondparkacademy.org.uk
Yours sincerely,
Miss J Metcalfe
Head of RE and Citizenship
Jesmond Park Academy