HRSE

Health and Relationships Education

At St Margaret Mary Catholic Primary School, we are dedicated to creating an environment that has Christ's teachings at the centre of all we do. We are devoted to the spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical growth of our children, shaped by our belief that every child bears the image of Christ. We encourage charity and service, giving children the opportunity to serve God by serving others. We develop a sense of confidence and pride in every member of our community and believe all children should aspire to achieve the best they can with all talents they have been given. With our parishes, families and the community, we work together to create a school that is safe, happy, respectful and inspirational.

We use the term Health and Relationships Education (HRE) as we believe that relationships education is fundamental to all aspects of growing and leading a fulfilled and happy life. As a Catholic school in the Diocese of Lancaster, and following consultation with parents and governors, we believe that a primary focus on the term Human Relationships emphasises the importance of human relationships based on the relationship we enter with God - of love, respect, and dignity. 

Any teaching about love and sexual relationships in school is rooted in this belief, expressed through the Church’s teaching about relationships, marriage, sex and family life.

We encourage children from the earliest age to recognise that they are all children of God and that each person shares a God-given dignity. As children mature, we encourage them to follow the example of Jesus and live lives inspired by the Gospel virtues, enabling them to follow His commandment to “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31). This is the basis for all relationships in our school where we model Christian Virtues. We follow the guidance of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and ‘Fit for Mission? Schools’.

“At our schools we are inspired by Jesus to be the very best we can be and to be witnesses to God. We look after one another and show respect and love through our relationships. Through our ethos and mission Jesus is invited into our hearts - we look at being stewards of the earth where gospel values are the foundation stone in all we do. In the Beatitudes, Jesus invites us to lead a full life with him by explaining what makes people blessed or happy. Therefore, having a good relationship with ourselves and the other people in our lives makes us grow and flourish and we respect that everyone is a unique and beautiful part of God’s creation. We are all children of God, called to grow in love for him through the person of Jesus Christ and to spread the Good News through the action of the Holy Spirit. It is our duty to recognise our role as being part of the body of Christ.”

Vision for Human Relationships and Sex Education: "Love one another, as I have loved you"

TenTen

We use TenTen to deliver our HRE programme. This resource is approved by Catholic dioceses throughout England and Wales. The scheme is underpinned with a Christian-faith understanding that our deepest identity is as a child of God – created, chosen and loved by God. The programme is fully inclusive of all pupils and their families. 

We believe that parents are the primary educators of their children, and it is our job as a school to support them in that vocation. With this in mind, our HRE scheme of work went to consultation with parents and governors prior to introduction, with feedback considered before launching the programme. 

Parents can also access the TenTen resource at any time via the online parent portal, including viewing any materials being used, so they can be clear exactly what is taught as part of this scheme. If you would like help in setting up this access, please contact the school on 01228 401800.