Inclusive RSE: A Catalyst for Change?
Over the coming weeks and months, schools and educators will be preparing to deliver content in line with the recent changes in PSHE guidelines. With RSE becoming a compulsory part of the curriculum, it could be viewed as the silver bullet for creating an inclusive society; knowledgeable and accepting of all the various forms of relationships. But will this be the case? This series of blogs will delve into the new curriculum and pose questions to those who will be teaching it.
Roundtable article series…
Leading up to a roundtable discussion in September (click here for more info), TENsquared will dive into the new RSHE framework in an interactive article mini-series. We’ll be exploring themes such as LGBTQ+ relationships education, age-appropriate teaching and engaging positively with parents; the ultimate goal of which is to identify best practices from you — the front line PSHE gurus, the ones actually teaching this content to kids in the classroom.
As someone whose background lies in Gender and Sexuality studies, a few queries surfaced while diving through the document, as well as having to attempt to read between the lines. This can leave the reader feeling more confused, as opposed to the confidence needed to action the advice in the classroom.
‘The birds and the bees’
When speaking about RSHE lessons and reminiscing (or cringing) about “the talk”, it is often the case that most people’s experiences definitely leave room for improvement. I have memories of reading answers to 1000s of questions about puberty on Yahoo Answers, and watching some not very PG (Or HD!) videos on YouTube explaining how babies are made.
I do not envy, however, the unlucky teacher who had to deal with a class of squeamish year 5s, comforting the boy who fainted during *that* childbirth video, all while trying to actually make sure the lessons were inclusive and could be representative for everyone’s experiences. I jest, however, the lack of mentioning of relationships, families or sexual relationships that are any different to the “Adam and Eve”, “Man and Woman” structure can leave children and young people feeling like they’re different and as though they do not belong.
Having personally attended a church primary and secondary school, this was definitely the case for myself and friends. There were no lessons on (or even mentioning of) same-sex relationships, and moving on to secondary school — sex education in it’s entirety was simply non-existent. Looking back, I wonder if there were conversations behind the scenes, and if I were a teacher at the time, if I would’ve felt confident to make a point of it in the staff-room. As society progresses and LGBTQ+ relationships are specifically mentioned in the guidance, are children who are attending church schools experiencing the same thing in 2021?
Do you think the new RSE curriculum is destined to have a significant impact on both education and society?
Next week we’ll be taking a focus on the impact of parents and communities when delivering an inclusive RSE curriculum, and asking for your advice on navigating these factors when teaching.
