Best Practice

Ensuring developmentally appropriate RSHE

PSHE Curriculum Government policy
As a government panel considers ‘age-ratings’ for topics within RSHE, Lucy Emmerson discusses what age-appropriate sex education might look like, using the topic of puberty as an example
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The age at which relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) topics should be taught has become a focal point in the government review of RSHE, with a group of advisors appointed with a brief to recommend “age ratings” for the subject (DfE, 2023).

So, what does age-appropriate really mean and how can schools determine what to cover when, if the objective is to create a relevant, developmentally appropriate curriculum that meets learners’ needs?

Statutory guidance (DfE, 2019) divides RSHE content into two age bands; a set of statements that pupils “should know by the end of primary” and a set to know “by the end of secondary”. The guidance advises that all content should be developmentally appropriate and sequenced, and leaves schools with the flexibility to plan this out themselves.

The first thing to know is that research evidence is conclusive in finding that when young people receive quality and timely RSE they are more likely to wait until they are older to first have sex, more likely to consent, and more likely to use contraception including condoms (see SEF, 2022). 

It is this evidence-base upon which the government legislated for mandatory RSHE. Recent research further confirms the benefits, with a report from the Youth Endowment Fund (2022) finding that RSE can reduce relationship violence by 17%.

Still, it can feel difficult to know where to start in teaching topics as wide ranging as marriage and menstruation. One of the weaknesses with current RSHE provision is the tendency to only cover a topic once, allocating insufficient time to the subject as a whole. A developmental approach means laying foundations early and then building and adding from there.

 

Time for children to ask questions

Children are keen observers of the world around them, curious about bodily processes well before they arrive at school and constantly trying to make sense of their social and cultural surroundings and experiences. 

Take puberty for example. Children may observe this at close quarters as their siblings go through it or may have a more distant awareness from a wider circle of friends and relatives. Children will certainly ask questions about the human life-cycle, noticing pregnancies, births, family formation, separation, old age and death.

These observations are a natural part of child development for children in reception and years 1 and 2. This makes it an ideal time to cover basic information about growth and changes (both physical and emotional) from baby to child to adult.

Data tells us that it is typical for girls to start puberty between the ages of 8 and 13 and for boys to start puberty between the ages of 9 and 14. Early puberty (starting before the age of 8) is not uncommon, particularly for girls, so by year 3 and 4 a few children in any class are likely to be starting puberty.

Teaching now moves from observing to anticipating and needs to cover the main physical and emotional changes of puberty. Given that 1 in 4 girls start their periods without having been taught about them (SEF, 2016) it is vital to provide sufficient information to be prepared and to dispel fear and stigma.

There is lots more to learn in years 5 and 6 – more detail about the range of experiences of puberty, of coping with menstruation and wet dreams, moods and emotions, and keeping clean. There are opportunities to address gender stereotypes and body image and to look at choices and influences, for example in relation to products for shaving, deodorant and menstrual products. An inclusive approach that acknowledges diversity is a must.

Taking a developmentally appropriate approach means responding to the level of maturity and awareness that children bring to the class, and ensuring that they are properly prepared and supported for changes that we as adults know are coming, based on the available data. This knowledge of “what is coming” is just as relevant to parents and carers, who often want to be the first to discuss some specific aspects of puberty with their children. Having plenty of notice about what is covered at school and when affords parents valuable transparency and a nudge if they were planning to be proactive at home.

 

Linking lessons to safeguarding

While teaching about puberty, it is inevitable that children will ask questions that range quite widely and include varying levels of awareness about sex. While puberty is positioned squarely in health education, it is appropriate to explain that puberty is a process of sexual maturation. This is the first step in fertility education.

The DfE guidance also recommends that primary schools teach sex education, including how a baby is conceived and born. As well as having a planned curriculum with learning objectives mapped out, it is important to pay close attention to pupils’ ad-hoc questions because they may reveal exposure to inappropriate online content as well as their ignorance and vulnerability. According to Ofcom, 9 in 10 children own their own mobile phone by the time they reach the age of 11 and 10% of children have seen pornography by the age of nine; 27% by the age of 11 (Children’s Commissioner, 2023). 

Sadly, approximately 1 in 20 children have been sexually abused (NSPCC, 2021). RSE can play a significant role in children recognising and reporting abuse (Walsh et al, 2015). Clear honest messaging about the fact that sex is for adults and requires consent plays an important role in safeguarding children. 

 

Final thoughts

A developmentally appropriate curriculum comes about by mapping children’s healthy development and looking at data about their lived experiences, then giving the planning, delivery, and communication about RSHE an appropriate amount of time and investment. Once the curriculum is established, parents and carers have been engaged, and staff are confident to deliver it, smaller changes can be made to meet the needs of the child, class and cohort – but you will have the solid foundation required to deliver effective RSHE lessons. 

Lucy Emmerson is chief executive at the Sex Education Forum. Read her previous articles for Headteacher Update via
www.headteacher-update.com/authors/lucy-emmerson/ 

 

Headteacher Update Autumn Term Edition 2023

  • This article first appeared in Headteacher Update's Autumn Term Edition 2023. This edition was sent free of charge to every primary school in the country in September. A digital edition is also available via www.headteacher-update.com/content/downloads 

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