Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) Update

Dear Parents and Carers,

I wanted to share some important information about how we're approaching Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) at Bradford Christian School, and the work we're doing to prepare for new government requirements.

Working Together as Partners

At Bradford Christian School, we recognise that you are the primary educators of your children's moral and spiritual values. Our role is to support and complement what you teach at home by:

• Providing factual information about UK law, biology, and staying safe
• Teaching children about respectful relationships, boundaries, and kindness to everyone
• Equipping you to continue these important conversations at home

We're not here to replace your family's values – we're here to work alongside you to help your child navigate the world safely and confidently.

What's Changing and When

New government guidance on RSE has been published and will be statutory from September 2026. The good news is that our current policy is compliant until then, so there's no immediate rush. However, we're taking the time now to review and update our approach so we're fully prepared.

You can view our current policy and a breakdown of what we teach on the school website.

Our Careful Review Process

We're taking our time to get this right. Here's what we're doing:

Evaluating resources thoughtfully
We're reviewing three Christian-focused providers (ACET, Lovewise, and Thrive) alongside our own tried-and-tested materials that we've used successfully over the years.

Ensuring everything aligns
We're making sure all resources reflect both our Christian ethos and the new legal requirements.

Planning with care
Every lesson will be age-appropriate and filtered through our Christian vision, whilst meeting our legal obligations.

We'll share our final curriculum decisions and materials with you in May 2026. Until then, we'll continue using our current policy and materials.

How We Navigate Faith and Law

As a Christian school, we approach RSE from two important perspectives:

The Legal Perspective
We teach the Equality Act 2010, which protects all people regardless of their identity. We teach that every person is entitled to dignity and respect under the law.

The Faith Perspective
We acknowledge the Church's teachings on marriage and relationships as part of our religious context. Our priority is to ensure every child feels they belong in our caring, non-judgmental school environment.

Your Right to See Everything

Parents have the right to view all curriculum materials used to teach RSHE on request. We want to be transparent. 

You can:

• Request to view any books, videos, or lesson plans we use at any time
• Ask questions whenever you need to – you don't need to wait for a formal meeting
• Attend our drop-in
•  session in May 2026 to look at materials and chat with staff

Important: Parents have the right to request withdrawal from sex education (but not from relationships education). Relationships and Sex Education Statutory Guidance We'll discuss this right with you as part of our consultation process.

What Happens Next

Now until May 2026
We continue our careful review of resources and curriculum planning.

May 2026

• We'll share our final RSE policy and curriculum map with all parents
• Drop-in sessions for you to view materials and ask questions

Before July 2026
Parent consultation on our updated policy.

Let's Keep Talking

We're committed to working in partnership with you to ensure our children grow up to be informed, compassionate, and respectful members of our community. We want to listen to your feedback and make sure you know we've taken it on board. 

If you have any questions in the meantime, please don't hesitate to contact me. My door is always open.