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Parental involvement Government guidance emphasises the central role of parents in informal RSE and the necessity for them to be informed about schools’ RSE content. By engaging parents we can promote consistency of relationships and sexual health messages.
Many parents do not regard their child with SEN as a potential mum or dad
Schools can engage parents by: • involving them in the development and review of schools’ RSE policies, which must be written and free on request • holding meetings between tutors and parents before RSE teaching begins, to discuss concerns and possible follow-up at home and review teaching materials and resources • discussing RSE aspects of education, health and care plans • discussing RSE at reviews and meetings, especially about transition • holding termly or annual open meetings to outline RSE policy and look at teaching programmes and resources
• having the designated RSE lead on hand at parentteacher evenings and meetings • establishing parent forums to communicate with parents about RSE • informing parents via the school website what is being taught in RSE and what resources are being used, so parents can replicate this at home • ensuring any RSE issues with pupils are discussed with parents, who may be experiencing similar issues at home.
Tips to engage pupils with SEN in RSE A spiral curriculum, in which topics are revisited with greater complexity to reinforce learning, is essential for RSE. For example, while sexual consent is a secondary level sex education topic, relationships education in primary schools will cover healthy/unhealthy relationships and being assertive, which are important aspects of future sexual consent. Embed learning: one-off RSE lessons may not get the message across to pupils with SEN, so include follow-up group work or one-to-one support. Break topics down into manageable units to make them more accessible. “Drop down days” should not replace regular timetabled lessons but they can be useful for teaching life skills related to RSE and for practising generalising these skills to situations outside school. Avoid euphemistic language (such as “sleeping together”) as it can be taken literally. The use of unequivocal language and medically correct terms will help pupils to report accurately if sexual assault or abuse takes place. Ground rules for every session help create a safe environment but may need clear explanation for some pupils with SEN. Ground rules can emphasise that RSE subjects are often private, not public, and you can even place a sign on the classroom door stating this. Use personalisation where appropriate. Distancing techniques (where topics are discussed in the third
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person) can help to create a “safe” environment, but they should be used advisedly for children with SEN, some of whom need learning to be personalised. For example, teaching a private place for masturbation should include a picture of the young person’s own bedroom, not any bedroom. Allow pupils to ask questions anonymously, for example by posting them somewhere discreet in the setting, so their questions can be answered in class without embarrassment or pressure. This also allows them to ask what might seem to be naive questions. Use experiential learning in secondary level RSE, for example a school trip to the nearest clinic for sexually transmissible infections. Opportunistic teaching could also be applied on any school outing, for example to identify public and private places. Use visual teaching and strong visual content, which is often most effective for many pupils with SEN. Models, such as genitalia, are very useful teaching tools for RSE. Role play in pairs or small groups to support learning. For example, pupils can practise how to say “no” to unwanted sexual advances in a convincing manner, or how to respond if their own advances are rejected. Avoid using tests to check knowledge. In mainstream schools, quizzes and unexpected questions are common means of checking what pupils know and have taken in about a subject. However, they can be particularly challenging and undermining for children with autism and other conditions, who thrive on routine.
senmagazine.co.uk
