Consultation on Relationships, Health and PSHE Education
Dear Parents and Carers,
In July 2025, the Department for Education published revised statutory guidance for Relationships, Sex and Health Education. Schools are required to introduce the updated guidance from 1 September 2026 and to consult parents and carers when reviewing their policy and curriculum.
We are therefore reviewing our provision at St Mary’s and would like to invite parents and carers to take part in a consultation about the way we will teach Relationships Education, Health Education and the wider Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education curriculum from September 2026.
Our Catholic approach
As a Catholic school, our mission is to support the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of every pupil, rooted in the teachings of Christ and the Church.
The education of children in matters relating to relationships, health and human development is an important and privileged responsibility. The Church recognises parents and carers as the first educators of their children. Our role is to work in partnership with you, supporting the values and learning that begin within the family.
All teaching will be age-appropriate, sensitive to the needs of our pupils and rooted in the Catholic understanding of the dignity and worth of every human person.
Life to the Full Plus
We propose to continue using Life to the Full Plus, produced by Ten Ten Resources.
Ten Ten Resources is a well-established Catholic educational organisation whose materials are used widely in Catholic schools. Its programmes provide creative, age-appropriate resources through which Relationships Education, Health Education and the wider PSHE curriculum can be taught within a Catholic context.
Life to the Full provides the school’s core Relationships and Health Education programme. Life to the Full Plus broadens this provision by including additional PSHE topics such as:
- transitions and managing change;
- rights and responsibilities;
- money and financial awareness;
- careers and aspirations;
- personal safety; and
- citizenship and contributing to the wider community.
Ten Ten is updating its Life to the Full materials to reflect the revised statutory guidance. The updated programme will include strengthened teaching about positive relationships, emotional wellbeing, grief and bereavement, personal boundaries, online safety and practical safety.
Our proposed approach
Following our review, we propose that:
- statutory Relationships Education and Health Education will continue to be taught to all pupils;
- relevant content from the national curriculum for science, including puberty and human development, will continue to be taught;
- the wider PSHE curriculum will be taught through Life to the Full Plus and other appropriate curriculum opportunities;
- we will not teach additional, non-statutory sex education beyond the content required through the national curriculum for science;
- we will not use Ten Ten’s optional lessons relating specifically to female genital mutilation;
- parents and carers will be given clear information about what will be taught and when;
- appropriate materials will be made available to parents who wish to discuss sensitive topics with their children at home; and
- teaching will be adapted and supported appropriately for pupils with special educational needs or disabilities.
There is no right to withdraw a child from statutory Relationships Education, Health Education or the national curriculum for science. Parents have a right to request withdrawal only from additional sex education taught outside the science curriculum. As we are not proposing to teach additional sex education, this would not apply to our planned programme.
Supporting parents and carers
Ten Ten recognises the foundational role played by parents and carers. Its resources include an Online Parent Portal which provides information about the sessions taught in school, together with suggestions for discussion, activities and prayer at home.
Ten Ten has also produced an online Parent Consultation Course. This explains:
- the statutory requirements for schools in England;
- the Catholic vision for Relationships and Health Education;
- the content and structure of Life to the Full and Life to the Full Plus;
- the sensitive curriculum decisions schools are required to consider; and
- answers to frequently asked questions.
Taking part in the consultation
To take part, please complete the following steps:
- Read our proposed policy and curriculum information
- Complete the Ten Ten Parent Consultation Course
Access the Ten Ten Parent Consultation Course
Please select the course for schools in England.
You will need the following Parent Portal login details:
Username: SMIParent
Password: SMIParent
Please note that these login details will be checked before the consultation is published.
- Complete our parent consultation survey
https://forms.gle/RWrKPfFB6JhiRVVq9
Please submit your response by 12 noon on Friday 16th October.
We particularly welcome your views on:
- our continued use of Life to the Full Plus;
- the content and organisation of the curriculum;
- our proposed approach to non-statutory sex education and the optional FGM materials;
- the information and support provided to parents; and
- any further questions or concerns you would like the school to consider.
All responses will be reviewed before the policy and curriculum are finalised and presented to the governing body for approval.
We hope that this consultation will provide reassurance about the content being taught and strengthen the important partnership between home, school and parish.
Thank you for taking the time to participate.
Farley Marsh
Headteacher
