RSE will play an important part in delivering on the Curriculum’s aspirations. The draft mandatory RSE Code was laid in the Senedd on 23 November 2021 in preparation for members’ approval. It has been designed to outline core learning at developmentally-appropriate phases, introducing the learning sensitively, providing detail for schools and settings on what should be taught and when. In January 2022, the new code was officially declared as a legal document and ALL schools have a mandatory obligation to teach RSE through their curriculum from September 2022.

Relationships and Sexuality Education Code January 2022

Effective and high quality Relationships and Sexuality Education [RSE] will help ensure children and young people experience their rights under the UNCRC, including:

• the right to non-discrimination (Article 2)

• the right to be heard, express opinions and be involved in decision-making (Article 12);

• the right to access information that will allow children to make decisions about health (Article 17)

• the right to experience the highest attainable health, access to health facilities, preventative health care, and family planning education and services (Article 24)

• the right to an education that support all children to develop and reach their full potential and prepare children to be understanding and tolerant to others (Article 29)

• the right to government protection from sexual abuse and exploitation (Article 34).

Three vital questions for RSE:

•In what way can Relationships and Sexuality Education best support our learners to engage with their social world in a healthy, positive, and proactive way?

•How can the RSE Code provide the mandatory learning needed for practitioners to develop a positive and protective curriculum; which sits within an emotionally-safe and supportive whole-school approach?

•How can schools and families be supported to work together to ensure that learners get the best possible experience of RSE?

The RSE Code requires schools to design an RSE curriculum around broad interlinking learning strands. These are:

•Relationships and identity

•Sexual health and wellbeing

•Empowerment, safety and respect

At Maesycoed, we will be working alongside our cluster partners to develop a curriculum policy and a parent leaflet that will be shared in the near future.