As the Life to the Full programme has grown and most recently with our development of Life to the Full Plus (our PSHE/Health and Wellbeing Add-on subscription), the additional content and new resources has inevitably meant that there is an increase in the number of Key Decisions across the programmes.

Relevance of Key Decisions for Schools in England

In England, Sex Education is not statutory in primary schools. However, Ten Ten Resources provide optional sessions for sex education that can be taught following consultation with parents and governors. The following Key Decisions highlight the non-statutory or sensitive topics that we advise you to consider and to consult with parents on before implementing the Life to the Full programme.

Relevance of the Following Information for Schools in Wales

In Wales, parents do not have a legal right to withdraw their children from statutory sexuality education. Therefore, the following information about the Key Decisions is a tool to enable schools to be aware of the sensitive topics in RSE that are part of the curriculum in order to inform parents and answer any queries they may have about the topics being taught. In the Parent Consultation Course, these will be presented under the heading of ‘Sensitive Topics in Relationships and Sexuality Education’ rather than as Key Decisions.

It is, of course, good practice for all schools in Wales to share with parents about the resources you intend to use for Relationships and Sexuality Education to build confidence and trust through transparency. There is an opportunity for consulting parents on the timing of when certain topics are taught. You may wish to consult your Diocesan Advisor for RSE regarding any further guidance they may have on these areas of teaching.

What are the 7 Key Decisions / Sensitive Topics in RSE in Life to the Full?

For more detailed information about each of the Key Decisions/Sensitive Topics for RSE and the nuances about teaching (or not teaching) the topics, Programme Coordinators should ensure that they have downloaded the most recent version of the Programme Coordinator Manual, but for now here’s a summary of the 7 areas.

#1: Genitalia

Genitalia is not named in Early Years Foundation Stage, but in the Key Stage One resource Girls and Boys, we have produced 2 different versions of the same resource – one which introduces teaching about genitalia and the other version which does not.

#2: Puberty

In Module 2 of Lower Key Stage Two, we have provided two sessions on puberty: What is Puberty? and Changing Bodies. We have recommended these sessions for Year 4+ but again we advise that a decision is made locally about the best time and place for the teaching of these sessions.

#3: Life Cycles

In Lower Key Stage Two, Module One, Unit 4, there is a session called Life Cycles in which children learn about the human reproductive system. However, it does not discuss sexual intercourse.

In Life to the Full, this session is provided as a stepping-stone to #5: Talking About Sex (see below). Ten Ten Resources have provided the resources so schools can teach these lessons within the context of our core identity as God’s children.

#4: Talking About Pornography

One of the sessions in Upper Key Stage Two, Seeing Stuff Online, addresses the risks that children face from seeing explicit images and videos online.

#5: Talking About Sex

The Making Babies Part 2 session in Upper Key Stage Two answers the question: ‘Where do babies come from?’ We believe we have created the session with delicacy and care and we believe that it provides powerful teaching in an age-appropriate way on love, intimacy and marriage.

#6: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

The Life to the Full programme offers schools the opportunity to include teaching on FGM at KS1, LKS2 and UKS2, as part of Unit 4: Keeping Safe which is part of Module 2: Created to Love Others. An outline of the teaching content and further useful information to guidance is provided in our Guidance on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) document.

#7: Discussing Protected Characteristics concerning sex

The final area for consideration is linked to the Upper Key Stage Two session in Module 2 Unit 2 titled, Build Others Up. This resource is intended for use in Year 6. For schools in Wales the content in the main session is necessary to ensure the statutory curriculum is covered. As part of Life to the Full Plus there are a number of associated Classroom Short videos that explore these sensitive themes further and therefore require further consideration.

Top Tip

For more detailed information about each of the Key Decisions/Sensitive Topics for RSE download the Programme Coordinator Manual.