of positive character virtues within the context of relationships. Schools will need to take into consideration that the character virtues that are being promoted through both the formal and hidden curriculum may be different to the character virtues that are promoted within the context of families and communities.
In designing the RSE curriculum, schools will need to ensure that appropriate consultation has taken place with parents. Parents need to know what will be taught, when it will be taught and how it will be taught. Parents retain the right to withdraw their children from Sex Education but not from Relationships Education.
This book addresses the content of the new statutory guidance. There are aspects of the guidance that will be more challenging for schools to address and these are highlighted throughout the book. The content of each chapter is supported by case studies of practice which are designed to support schools to implement the guidance.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter you will understand:
INTRODUCTION
This chapter outlines the importance of teaching students to recognise and understand different types of families and relationships. It also outlines your roles and responsibilities in relation to supporting students to recognise that their peers may have different experiences in relation to the family structures that they are part of. The chapter offers guidance in relation to each of these to develop your understanding and it provides examples to support your teaching of these topics. The chapter also emphasises the importance of students understanding how relationships can contribute to mental well-being, and the common characteristics of healthy families are outlined. Guidance is provided on the teaching of marriage and some key facts are highlighted to support your planning and delivery of this topic. The requirements of the statutory guidance to teach students to understand the roles and responsibilities of parents are then discussed. Within this discussion the characteristics of successful parenting are outlined to support your teaching. Finally, the chapter argues that students must be taught to evaluate relationships and that they should understand how to seek help and share concerns should they need to.
TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS
The statutory guidance (DfE, 2019a) states that students should know that there are different types of committed, stable relationships. Students should therefore be taught about heterosexual relationships, same-sex relationships, marriage, civil partnership, co-habiting and other types of relationships. Essentially, regardless of the type of relationship, it is important that students understand how relationships can contribute to mental well-being. Students should be taught to understand that there are different types of families, including families with same-sex parents, foster or adoptive parents and those with single parents. Some children may be raised by siblings or other members of the extended family. Students need to understand that regardless of family structure, there are things that healthy families share in common. These include valuing time together, caring for one another, supporting each other emotionally and/or financially, respect for each family member and demonstrating love and commitment.
CRITICAL QUESTIONS
MARRIAGE
Students need to understand that marriage constitutes a legally binding agreement and therefore carries legal rights and protections that are not available to couples who have chosen not to marry or to those who have married in an unregistered religious ceremony (DfE, 2019a). In addition, students need to understand that marriage is an important relationship choice and that it must be freely entered into (DfE, 2019a).
Important facts that students need to know about marriage are stated below.
