Growth Development and Relationship (GDR) Education is lifelong learning about physical, moral and emotional development. It is about the understanding of the importance of loving and caring relationships. It is about the teaching of growth development and how the body and emotions change.

Moral and Values Framework

Staffs, Governors and Parents at St. Margaret’s believe that Growth Development and Relationship Education will reflect the values of the PSHE and Citizenship programme. GDR will be taught in the context of relationships. In addition GDR will promote self esteem and emotional health and well being while helping pupils form and maintain worthwhile and satisfying relationships, based on respect for themselves and for others, at home, school, work and in the community. GDR must take account of the cultural backgrounds of all our pupils and the views of parents.

Aims of Growth Development and Relationships

The aim of GDR is to provide children with age appropriate information, explore attitudes and values and develop skills in order to empower them to make positive decisions about their health related behaviour. This should take place with consideration of the qualities of relationships within families.

The objectives of GDR Education are;

• To provide the knowledge and information to which all pupils are entitled
• To offer pupils the opportunity to express their thoughts, feelings and anxieties within a safe and trusted environment
• To raise pupils’ self esteem and confidence, especially in their relationships with others;
• To help pupils understand their sexual feelings and behaviour, so they can lead fulfilling and enjoyable lives;
• To help pupils’ develop skills needed to make responsible decisions and develop healthy and appropriate relationships
• To provide the confidence to be participating members of society and to value themselves and others;
• To help them understand the importance of family life and stable relationships for bringing up children
• To develop skills for a healthier safer lifestyle
• To develop and use communication skills and assertiveness skills to cope with the influences of their peers and the media
• To respect and care for their bodies and be prepared for puberty and adulthood
• To teach the fundamentals of reproduction and deal sensitively with questions about growth and development as they arise, taking into account the needs of boys as well as girls.

Objectives of Growth Development and Relationships

To develop pupils’ Knowledge and Understanding, Attitudes and Values, Personal and Social Skills by:

• Teaching pupils about the nature of the human body and how it grows and changes
• Encouraging the use of correct vocabulary
• Teaching pupils about how puberty affects them physically, emotionally and socially
• Enabling pupils to understand their sexual feelings and behaviour
• Teaching respect for others and for other people’s bodies
• Helping pupils to manage emotions and relationships confidently and sensitively
• Developing the skills to help lead a healthier and safer lifestyle
• Enabling pupils to make choices and avoid exploitation and abuse

The teaching of Growth Development and Relationship Education

Every child is entitled to receive GDR regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, age, culture, disability, sexuality, language specials needs, disadvantaged and looked after children.
It is our intention that all children have the opportunity to experience a programme of GDR at a level which is appropriate for their age and physical development with differentiated provision if required.

GDR will be taught specifically through the relevant programmes of study for Science and for PSHE and Citizenship.

Foundation

Children learn about the concept of male and female and about young animals. In ongoing PSHE work, they develop skills to form friendships and think about relationships with others.

Key Stage 1

Through work in science children learn about life cycles of some animals, understand the idea of growing from young to old and learn that all living things reproduce. They learn about the importance of personal hygiene to maintain good health. In RE and Citizenship children reflect on family relationships, different family groups and friendship. They learn about rituals and traditions associated with birth, marriage and death and talk about the emotions involved.
They begin to co-operate with others in work and play and begin to recognise the range of human emotions and ways to deal with them.
They also learn about personal safety.

Key Stage 2

In science children build on their knowledge of life cycles. In RE and Citizenship, they continue to develop an understanding of relationships within a family, between friends and the community and that there are different patterns of friendship. They will develop skills needed to form relationships and to respect other people’s emotions and feelings. They will consider how to make simple choices and exercise some basic techniques for resisting pressures.
Within Year 6, pupils will learn about the basic biology of human reproduction including birth of a baby. Children are taught about the physical, emotional and social changes at puberty, which include personal hygiene.

This content has been agreed in consultation with governors, parents and teaching staff.
Approaches to Teaching and Learning in GDR

The PSHE Co-ordinator is the designated teacher with responsibility for coordinating GDR Education.

GDR Education will be taught in accordance with the agreed policy and may be delivered through Science, RE, PSHE and Citizenship, Literacy activities and Circle Time. GDR Education is taught by classroom teachers, teaching assistants and if appropriate, outside visitors such as the school nurse. Attention will be paid to developing a safe and secure learning environment where children are encouraged to consider their own needs and those of others.

A range of teaching methods which involve children’s full participation are used to teach GDR Education. These may include use of video, discussion, case studies, drama and role play.

In Year 6, when pupils are learning about puberty and human reproduction, teaching will be delivered in single sex groups.

Resources to teach GDR may include fiction, reference books, leaflets and extracts from videos.

Channel 4 Living and Growing CD’s Unit 1, 2 and 3 plus work books.
Unit 1: Differences / How did I get Here? / Growing up
Unit 2: Changes / How babies are made / How babies are born
Unit 3: 9-11yrs Girl talk / Boy talk / Let’s talk about sex

(These materials may be viewed by parents)

Working with Parents

Parents will have the opportunity to contribute to the formulation of the GDR Policy through questionnaires and meetings. The school will inform parents by letter when some aspects of GDR are taught and provide opportunities for parents to view the videos and resources being used.
Parents will be advised of their right to withdraw children from non-statutory aspects of GDR Education. Should this happen, alternative work would be set. However by working in partnership with parents, we hope they recognise the importance of this aspect of their child’s education.

Child Protection / Confidentiality

Staff need to be aware that effective GDR Education, which brings an understanding of what is and is not acceptable in a relationship, may lead to disclosure of a child protection issue.
The staff member will inform the Head Teacher or Designated Child Protection person in line with the LEA procedures for child protection/safeguarding.
No member of staff can promise confidentiality if concerns exist.

Links with other policies

This policy is linked with the following policies:
PSHE & Citizenship
Child Protection/Safeguarding
Confidentiality
Behaviour
Anti Bullying
RE and Collective Worship
SEN and Inclusion
Equality
Science

Dealing with difficult questions

Ground rules are essential to provide an agreed structure to answering sensitive or difficult questions. This framework facilitates the use of an anonymous question box as a distancing technique.
Teachers will endeavour to answer questions as honestly as possible but if faced with a question they do not feel comfortable answering within the classroom, provision would be made to meet the individual child’s needs (maybe through discussion with parents).

Use of visitors

When appropriate, the school will engage the help of health professionals to help deliver aspects of GDR. Visitors such as the school nurse may be involved in the delivery of GDR, however school staff will always plan with and work alongside these outside agencies.
Outside visitors will be made aware of the school’s GDR Policy and Values and any Child Protection issues.

Children with special needs

Teaching and resources will be differentiated as appropriate to address the needs of these children in order for them to have full access to the content of GDR Education.

Provision for pubertal pupils

Sanitary Disposal Units are located in the staff toilets (by the office). When appropriate, girls will be made aware of the use of these facilities. Girls requiring sanitary protection should go to the school office. It is important that parents make staff aware of any specific needs for their child.
In upper KS2 classes, boys and girls may get changed separately at the discretion of the class teacher or at the request of parents.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring is the responsibility of the head teacher, named governor and the member of staff with responsibility for GDR Education.
The school may assess the effectiveness of the aims, content and methods in promoting pupils’ learning by lesson observation and questionnaires and feedback from staff, pupils and parents.
The effectiveness of the GDR programme will be evaluated by assessing children’s learning and implementing change if required.

This policy will be reviewed by March 2016

S Jones
March 2013