Relationships and Sexuality Education
At primary level, Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) aims to help children learn about their own development and about their friendships and relationships with others. This work will be based on developing a good self-image, promoting respect for themselves and others and providing them with appropriate information.
It is natural for parents/guardians to want to teach, protect and help their children to prepare for adult life. Parents themselves may recall their own experiences of learning about their growth and development. In the past, matters to do with relationships and sexuality may not have been discussed as openly as they are now. On the other hand, parents/guardians can have concerns about the wide range of information actually available to children today. Television, social media and of course friends, are sources of information and influence about relationships and sexuality. Many parents may not even be aware of, or indeed may not like, some of the messages their children are getting from these sources. The partnership approach between home and school in RSE will assist children in making healthy informed decisions and developing positive attitudes and values.
The ordinary events of family life provide many opportunities for open communication to be established between parents and their children. Building on this foundation, parents/guardians will find it easier to discuss the more sensitive aspects of human sexuality, including puberty, conception and birth. As a parent, you know what is important for your child to learn as s/he approaches adolescence and there are many books and videos available which you might find useful and which may give you more comfort and confidence in this work. People have individual preferences in regard to books so it is important that you read the books before you discuss
them or make them available to your child. Your child's teacher may also have resources for parents/guardians, as can your local library or book shop.
If you would like to look at some more information the links to the RSE manuals used in the school are provided below:
The Stay Safe Programme
The Stay Safe programme is a personal safety skills programme for primary schools. The aim of the programme is to reduce vulnerability to child abuse and bullying through the provision of personal safety education for children and training for teachers, school management boards and parents. It is developmentally structured to enable primary school teachers to deliver an abuse prevention education that addresses personal safety issues such as physical, emotional and sexual abuse as well as bullying and stranger danger.
- About Feelings: To recognise the importance of feelings; how to express them appropriately and in particular to recognise unsafe feelings
- About Friendship: Making and keeping friends and the value of friendship
- About Bullying: What bullying is; strategies for dealing with bullying behaviour, and that it is never acceptable to bully others
- The importance of building confidence and self-esteem
- How to identify and deal with inappropriate or unsafe touch
- That it is OK to say ‘no’ to an adult in a situation where they feel unsafe, threatened or frightened
- To identify trusted adults whom, they should tell if they are feeling frightened, threatened, worried or unsafe in any way
- To understand how someone might bribe, trick or threaten them to keep a secret
- It is never their fault if they are victimised or abused
- That they should never go anywhere with or take anything from a stranger
- Appropriate language for telling
The Stay Safe rules:
Say No, Get Away and Tell
Never keep secrets about touch
Never go anywhere with or take anything from a stranger
The importance of building confidence and self-esteem and developing assertiveness and strong clear communication is emphasised throughout the programme. Children are taught that it is not their fault if
they are bullied or abused.
All primary schools are required to fully implement the Stay Safe programme (DES circular 65/ 2011) within the context of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum.
Please click on the links below if you would like to explore the lessons for each class level.
