The Sex Ed Diaries

Since September 2020, all schools are required to teach pupils about puberty as part of Health Education. Evidence suggests that many children are still not learning the key facts about their changing bodies, with implications for their confidence and body image, as well as their health and safety. This episode explores what puberty is and what good puberty education should look like. Guests outline the challenges facing teachers, including naming body parts, misinformation online and why we need to take 'precocious' or early-onset puberty in to account. Pupils describe their experiences of puberty education, both at school and at home, and offer their tips on how to take the anxiety and shame out of talking about the body. Guests in order of appearance: Year 4 pupil Eleanor Draeger, Consultant in Sexual Health and HIV Nick Dunne, Head of Development, Brook Celia Roberts, Professor of Sociology, Australia National University Year 10 students For more information about this episode and a full list of resources: https://www.sexeddiaries.org/episode-details

Find out how to liven up your RSE with new ideas from Alice Hoyle and Dr Ester McGeeney, authors of 'Great Relationships and Sex Education'. They explain why being more creative with RSE can help students engage with some of the trickier topics and bring an important element of fun to the classroom. Art teacher Yasemin Crouch shares her experience of exploring gender and sexuality through teaching about art and artists.

The challenges of lockdown meant that many schools chose not to teach RSHE remotely. For those that did, there were some surprising and unexpected results. Amy Forbes-Robertson and Laura White from It Happens Education explain how they adapted their services for digital learning and why the pandemic has meant that they are busier than ever. They share tips on safeguarding, chat functions and parent webinars and discuss what this period of exploration and discovery means for the future of RSHE. This episode was recorded in March 2021.

How do you fit excellent RSE into a tight timetable? How can schools with very different starting points deliver the same RSE programme? What does ‘working together’ look like when it comes to RSE? This episode focuses on the challenge of coordinating RSE across different schools within a Multi-Academy Trust. We hear from Kate Atkins, Head of Primary Phase at The Litcham School about how she worked with senior leaders, teachers and parents to ensure a consistent and evidence-based approach to RSE across all schools in the trust. Kate shares why RSE is so important and why practice sharing is essential if RSE is to have a long term impact on pupils lives.

The Truetube documentary 'What do you mean I can't change the world?' focuses on Jemmar Sammuels’ experience of colourism. In this episode, Jemmar explains why it was so important to tell her story and how bullying due to dark skin tone affected her education and her mental health. She explains why teachers need to talk about colourism and how her involvement with the Advocacy Academy enabled her to turn her experience in to something positive through activism. Links: Truetube - What do you mean I can't change the world? The Advocacy Academy Chips - Christian International Peace Service

The RSHE guidance states that all pupils should leave secondary school having learnt about abortion. Abortion is one of the most routine medical procedures in the UK, but is still heavily stigmatised and research shows that it is rarely taught as part of RSE. This episode unpicks the myths and misconceptions around abortion and highlights resources to ensure information is 'medially and legally accurate'. Guests explore the evidence and look beyond ethical dilemmas to show why abortion is a truly global issue. Guests: Lesley Hoggart, Professor of Social Policy, Open University Lisa Hallgarten, Head of Policy, Brook Yordanos Wolde, Project Coordinator, Talent Youth Association Laura Hurley, Programme Adviser, Safe Abortion Action Fund For more information about this episode and a full list of resources: https://www.sexeddiaries.org/episode-details

Ben Drew and Colin from LGBT youth project Allsorts, share their perspectives on what inclusion looks like and what makes a difference to young trans people in schools. We discuss pronouns, how to respond to the media coverage, and what it is like to grow up in a trans inclusive school environment.

Jo Morgan, Head of Pupil Wellbeing at Portsmouth Grammar School is the winner of the 2020 RSE Teaching Awards in the secondary category. In this episode Jo talks about her passion for RSE, how she transformed the curriculum and why she never stops learning when it comes to RSE. Hear Jo's tips on planning, assessment, inclusion, pupil consultation, using 3-D models and how to bust myths and tackle taboos in the classroom.

RSE Day 2020 was an action-packed, live-streamed event featuring artists, performers, teachers, local councillors and celebrities, all coming together to celebrate healthy relationships. The theme was 'Books I love about love' and stories, poetry and literature were a key focus of the day. Hear founder Catherine Kirk talk about why celebrating RSE is so important and experience some of the interactive performances in an edited compilation. This years celebration was delivered in partnership with Challenge Nottingham

Need a knowledge top-up for teaching sexual health? The 'In Focus' series brings the expertise to you. In this episode we hear from experienced sexual health doctor, medical writer and RSE trainer, Dr Eleanor Draeger. Find out more about cervical mucus, U=U, stealthing, and all the different places that STIs like to live.

The new statutory guidance on Relationships, Sex and Health Education states that the new subjects should meet the needs of all pupils and that LGBT inclusion should be fully integrated. This is in line with the Equality Act 2010, but the language in the guidance is vague and its not exactly clear what this means in practice. In this episode we explore why LGBT inclusion matters and how it links to schools wider equalities work. Guests share practical tips on intersectionality, how to talk more inclusively about sex, and young people share their ideas about the kinds of changes they would like to see. Guests: LGBT+ young voices, Brook LGBT youth group Josie Rayner-Wells, National PSHE Adviser Prof Julia Hirst, Professor of Socioloy, Sheffield Hallam University Ali Hanbury, LGBT+ Centre Manager, The Proud Trust Chloe Cousins, Trainer/Facilitator, The Proud Trust For more information about this episode and a full list of resources: https://www.sexeddiaries.org/episode-details

From September 2020, all secondary schools in England will be required to teach about intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health. Data shows that this new content is urgently needed, but with major cuts to support services, and most teachers lacking specialist training, how are they to deliver this new content? This episode explores what young people need to learn, why anatomy always comes first and how to ensure teaching is inclusive. Guests: Louise Carrington, Director of Operations, Brook Liverpool Zahrah Al-Bejawi, Education and Wellbeing Coordinator, Brook Lota Bantiҫ, Education and Wellbeing Coordinator, Brook Guyathiri Kamalakanthan, Facilitator, Decolonising Contraception For more information about this episode and a full list of resources: https://www.sexeddiaries.org/episode-details

With greater access than ever before, and a growing number of young people saying they are regular consumers, what does it mean to teach about pornography in the classroom? In this episode, we look at what schools are now required to teach about pornography and explore some of the methods and approaches that can be used. Guests: Vanessa Rogers, Emma ChanNathaniel Cole For more information about this episode and a full list of resources: https://www.sexeddiaries.org/episode-details

New guidance for schools on teaching relationships, sex and health education paints a confusing picture for primary schools. Sex education is not compulsory but it is ‘recommended’ with almost no information about what this should include. Are schools left to fill in the gaps themselves? In this episode we explore what the new requirements mean for primary schools and how they should decide what sex education is, and whether/when it should be taught. Guests: Dougie BoydSam BealIsabel ReidSarah Jackson For more information and a full list of resources: https://www.sexeddiaries.org/episode-details

From September 2020, Relationships, Sex and Health Education will be statutory in English schools. After decades of campaigning, this is the first time that all schools will be required to teach these subjects. In this first episode we find out what new RSHE guidance really means for schools and guests explore the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Guests: Lucy EmmersonAnna MartinezJuliet Henry,Catherine KirkDougie BoydProfessor Julia Hirst, For a full list of resources featured in ths episode: https://www.sexeddiaries.org/episode-details