RSE and Keeping Safe

Relationship, Sex and Health Education at St Christopher’s School is recognised as a priority in line with the statutory government guidance. What could possibly be more essential than teaching students about their own bodies, the rights and wrongs of touches, actions and interactions, and what to do if they have a problem with these things? We recognise that there are many challenges in helping students with learning difficulties understand key concepts of RSE, and often we have to find creative and bespoke ways of supporting students in their understanding. As a special school setting, we utilise a number of specialist programmes across the school that have been created to meet the needs of students with additional needs. ‘The Sex Factor Programme’ and ‘So Safe!’ are delivered across the school. 

KS4 Formal pupils will take part in specially tailored Sex Education sessions during the Summer term. These lessons are delivered based upon developmentally appropriate needs. Careful consideration is given towards age appropriate, factual and correct information, core values and safe boundaries. Parents will be informed of when these lessons will be taking place and will be given the opportunity to discuss this further with our Keeping Safe Leaders should they have any concerns. Pupils who require reactive intervention are delivered on a 1:1 or small group basis by familiar members of staff or the wellbeing team. Furthermore, where necessary, specifically tailored visits and events have been organised in relation to specific concerns which may arise, for example, knife crime. 

We aim to work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure students at St Christopher’s School have the knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe, and to develop appropriate and healthy relationships into adulthood. It is vitally important that parents also develop their confidence reinforcing the RSE learning at home and in answering ‘tricky’ questions when they arise. For this reason, we aim to share as much content as possible with parents and carers when it is being delivered to enable them to support with key learning. Parents are invited to attend workshops and coffee mornings to learn more about the programmes we use to deliver RSE content. As lessons are delivered, content is shared on the Tapestry app, so you can see what and how the learning has been shared - enabling you to support your child further at home.

We hold a number of whole school events across the year which focus on key aspects of the Keeping Safe Curriculum. This year these have included the following: 

Monday 15th Jan Knife Crime Workshop: This was led by Crime Prevention and Safer Lincolnshire Partnership Youth Engagement Co-Ordinator. This was organised in response to some safeguarding concerns regarding the use of replica knives in school. 

Tuesday 8th February Internet Safety Day: the theme is ‘inspiring change’ which is surrounding how technology has changed and managing that change. St. Christopher’s campaign will be ‘Stop, Close, Tell’.

If you see something upsetting online STOP – Stop what you are doing. Do not click on the page or reply to a message, CLOSE – Close the laptop. Put your phone or tablet down and TELL – Tell your grown up or trusted adult.

Pupils will design a ‘Stop, Close, Tell’ poster that we can use around school to remind us of this important message. The rules for these posters is that they have to say ‘Stop, Close, Tell’ somewhere on the poster. 

March - The Happening Knife Crime Initiative: pupils will be visiting this immersive, educational experience that aims to prevent and divert young people away from carrying a knife and being involved in serious violence. It will challenge thinking, capture the reality, and look to dispel the myths and remove the glamour that is spoken about openly within young people’s lives and social media streams. The project has been built within the station’s old custody suite and has seen a number of rooms converted into state-of-the-art spaces centred around knife crime. Each room is unique and utilises real world props, videos, graffiti, posters, written content and more to help educate and inform young people.

Semi-Formal and Formal Provision: The Formal and Semi-Formal Pathways access our Keeping Safe subject specific curriculum which covers 4 aspects of the SEND PSHE Framework where other sections are taught through different subject areas. We teach additional sessions in online safety and changing and growing due to the importance and relevance for our pupils.

Keeping Safe PSHE Curriculum Overview: Teachers are free to use this flexibly, adapting it to the unique needs and abilities of their pupils, as their development will not necessarily correspond to their chronological age or their key stage in many aspects of their learning in PSHE education. For example, you might need to draw on learning outcomes from key stages 1 & 2 for some pupils in key stage 3 or 4 and vice versa, or you might need to draw from both phases for some pupils. Much of the learning may need to be regularly re-visited and consolidated — the focus should be on the quality of learning rather than quantity of ‘topics’ covered.

KS4 Keeping Safe Accreditation: Formal Pathway pupils complete AIMS units which build a portfolio of evidence towards qualifications in Skills for Work and Living. These qualifications can be achieved at Entry Level 1-3 and include an Award, Certificate and Diploma, depending upon the number of credits gained and units of work completed. Current units related to PSHE curriculum include Personal Awareness and Personal Care and Hygiene, (Keeping Safe), and Knowing the Local Community and Travelling to and from Work (Preparing for Adulthood). Each unit is outcome based and encourages learners to gain hands-on, real-life experience which will develop skills and knowledge to prepare them for an independent future. 

Pre-Formal and Informal Provision: PSHE and RSE provision and delivery look different across each of the learning pathways at St Christopher’s School due to the differing needs of the students we cater for. The Pre-Formal and Informal Pathways access continuous provision and activities which develop pupil skills and understanding. These are typically in line with the KS1 and KS2 SEND PSHE Framework at encountering and foundation levels. 

Please see the example of what Self-Awareness looks like when taught through the continuous provision model. 

Please click here to view our RSE Policy located on our website.