Personal, Social, Health Education/Relationship, Sex Education (PSHE/RSE) at the Saffron Valley Collegiate ​​​​​​​

At SVC we recognise the challenges of growing up and making positive and healthy decisions about relationships. As an integral part of our PSHE curriculum, which has been developed with the primary focus of protecting, informing & safeguarding young people, we deliver an age appropriate Relationship and Sex Education programme. This covers many sensitive yet relevant topics including Consent, Child Sexual Exploitation, Pornography, Youth Sharing sexual imagery (sexting), Female Genital Mutilation, Honour Based Violence, Online Safety (e-safety), Domestic and Sexual Violence. In delivering these topics we aim to empower young people, enabling them to recognise behaviours that may cause them harm and whom they can contact if they feel at risk.   For some topics, single gender teaching groups may be available allowing students to be invited (if it is safe to do so) to go to the group which is appropriate to their gender identity.

Saffron Valley Collegiate (SVC) works alongside our local NHS Provider, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, Croydon Council Public Health and Croydon Healthy Schools to provide a PSHE programme that is directly in line with local directives. Students are made aware of confidential sources of information and support, including helplines, websites, local young person’s advice centres and local sexual health services. This enables young people to access local support services, including the Condom Distribution Scheme (see PSHE Policy appendix 1.1, 1.2) and sexual health advice, signposting them for guidance and treatment should they require it.

As part of the services we offer and in conjunction with the National Chlamydia Screening Programme and our local NHS Provider, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, all KS4 students will have the opportunity to partake in free and confidential Chlamydia screening through the national programme. Teaching sessions prior to this offer are delivered in context and explore peer pressure, the media and the fact that most young people are not having sex under the age of 16. This is provided as part of wider education supporting students to look after their health and develop positive skills and attitudes related to accessing services and routine health checks and is entirely optional.

Key Facts

• Chlamydia is the most common Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) in the 15-24 age groups.
• It is estimated the 1 in 10 sexually active young people nationally and up to 1 in 8 sexually active young people locally will have the Chlamydia infection
• Chlamydia is often asymptomatic. 70% of females and 50% of males with the infection will show no signs or symptoms.
• If left untreated, Chlamydia can cause serious and painful complications including infertility, Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Ectopic pregnancies
• Self testing is free, quick, confidential and painless. Results are usually given within 2 weeks by text message
• Chlamydia is easily treated with antibiotics
• Self taken Chlamydia tests also test for Gonorrhoea. This is a less common Sexually Transmitted Infection which can also be symptomless.

Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their child from sex education that is delivered as part of the relationships or health education at school except for those parts included in the statutory Science National Curriculum. Parents and carers who wish to exercise this right should in the first instance talk with the Head or Assistant Head of the provision their child attends who may put them in contact with the Health and Wellbeing Curriculum/PSHE Coordinator for more information. The issue of withdrawal will be handled as sensitively as possible and alternative arrangements will be made for any child withdrawn from this aspect of the curriculum.

To view the entire PSHE policy please visit http://www.saffronvalleycollegiate.co.uk/page/?title=Policies&pid=3