mike russell on sexual health
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8/6/2019 Mike Russell on Sexual Health
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Runaire a' Chaibineit airson Foghlaim agus lonnsachadh Fad-bheatha
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning
Michael Russell MSPjBPA
FIT:0845 7741741
Ms Kezia Dugdale MSPThe Scottish Parliament
EDINBURGH
EH991SP
Ur faidhlelYour ref: GC-29/06/11
Ar faidhle/Our ref: 2011/1010583gA l August 2011
The ScottishGovernmentRlaghaltas na h-Alba
~ . .
That! you for your letter dated 29 June 2011 in regards to sexual health and relationshipseducation.
I absolutely agree with you that young people in Scotland should have access to high quality
sexual health and relationships education. That is why under Curriculum for Excellence weare placing the same importance on learning about health and wellbeing as we are for
numeracy and literacy.
The curriculum in Scotland is not statutory, it is for schools and local authorities to decide the
management and delivery of the curriculum based on local needs and circumstances.
However, relationships, sexual health and parenthood is an integral part of the health and
wellbeing area of the schools curriculum. We are specific about the need for children and
young people to gain knowledge appropriate to their age and stage of education. This
aspect of the curriculum is intended to enable children and young people to build positive
relationships as they grow older and more mature and should present facts in an objective,
balanced and sensitive manner within a framework of sound values and an awareness of thelaw on sexual behaviour. We ask teachers to work closely with parents in the delivery of
sexual health and relationships education, by discussing proposed lessons and resources
with them in advance. Children and young people will be encouraged to discuss a variety of
subjects with their peers and parents, to help them gain knowledge, and the skills to become
confident in making healthy lifestyle decisions for themselves.
Taigh Naomh Anndrais, Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EH1 3DG
St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DG
www.scotland.gov.uk INVRSTOR ~ PEOPLS
mailto:[email protected]://www.scotland.gov.uk/http://www.scotland.gov.uk/mailto:[email protected] -
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It ;s for schools to decide how the deliver . .on the needs of the children or o~n se~ual h~alth and relatIonshIps education, based
refer to the SHARE programmeY(Se;u~~~~I:I;~ th~r ~I~s~room.. Howeve~ many schools willand Responsible) develo ed b an e atlonshlps Education/Safe, Happy
teac~~rs, student~, paren~ a n dh~~I~h~~~:~~~~~~~snd;~~~~ao~ ye~rs. o.f cofnsultation .withpractitioners and also provides useful lesson plans SHARE ers raIning or ~duca~lon
Inv?lving role plays on varied scenarios, some quit~ complex e~~~~~~s frank ~'S~u~slons
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ e a ~ ~ Oe~7~~~~ .~h " l I ~~~~ :~ : : ~~g~ ;~~ ~~ U ~~ " :a~ ~~ ~ : :'v~ cea~ ~~ p - ~ ~ ~ 9 a tspeclficall.y for ~se In Catholic secondary schools. 'Galled to Love' is the result o~~esource~artnershlP proJec~between the Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES) and Health
espect. The project was created in response to the Scottish Governmenfs sexual hea/rh
strategy and has s~en the production of a range of teaching and support resources desi ned
to emp~wer Catholic secondary schools across Scotland in the effective delivery of an gappropnate programme of Relationships and Moral Education (RME).
I-am-awareof-the~f~nd;ngs-?utli~ed in-the NHS-Health-Scotland 2010 report-you mention. To---
an~~er your speCifiC qu~stl?ns In regards to the help we are giving to schools in regards to
traIning for teachers dellvenng sexual health and relationships education, I can tell you thatour new agency Education Scotland (a joining of Learning and Teaching Scotland and Her
Majesty's Inspectorate of Education) is taking forward work in this area. Learning and
Teaching Scotland held a national relationships, sexual health and parenthood
learning day last year and developed an online training resource as a result, which schools
can use. Please look at: http://www.ltscotland.org.uklsharingpractice/r/rshp/introduction.asp
Furthermore, Education Scotland have consulted with local authorities on what their training
needs are and from that, we know that sexual health and relationships education is one area
they want more support in delivering. Education Scotland plan to offer an extensive range of
training sessions to teacher education institutes and local authorities this year, and
relationships, sexual health and parenthood will be included in this.
In regards to issuing guidance to HMIE to measure standards of sexual health and
relationships education in schools, this year we are broadening our Health and Nutrition
Inspectors remit to cover health and wellbeing. We are increasing the time Health and
Nutrition Inspectors spend in schools to evaluate learning and teaching in health and
wellbeing teaching. They will ensure that health and wellbeing is being taught across the
curriculum and that the health and wellbeing outcomes are being assessed in a rigorous and
effective manner. The Inspectors will be increasing their time in classrooms, discussing with
practitioners how areas such as sexual health are taught and looking at the impact on
learners by holding focus groups with children and young people.
I trust that I have reassured you that there is work ongoing to ensure the quality of sexual
health and relationships education in Scottish schools is being enhanced and monitored.
MICHAEL RUSSELL
Taigh Naomh Anndrais. Rathad Regent, Oun Eideann EHl 30G
St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH130G
www.scotland.gov.ukINVESTOR C'JPEOPUl
http://www.ltscotland.org.uklsharingpractice/r/rshp/introduction.asphttp://www.scotland.gov.uk/http://www.scotland.gov.uk/http://www.ltscotland.org.uklsharingpractice/r/rshp/introduction.asp -
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