Currently, during our PSHE lessons, the boys in every year group are undertaking a unit of work on Relationships and Sex Education, and frequently, the topics covered promote conversations that may continue at home.

All children need to learn about relationships and sex. If they don’t learn about this from schools and parents, they are more likely to turn to their friends and online sources. Some of this information may be inaccurate, misleading and confusing. Parents have an important role in helping their children to sort out the facts from the fiction.

It’s never too early to start a conversation on this subject. Children start learning about relationships and sex from an early age and their learning continues throughout childhood and into adulthood and, it’s perfectly natural for children and young people to be curious about these topics.

But for some parents and carers, it can feel awkward talking about these things. You may feel embarrassed, so might your child, but it’s natural for them to have questions.  Contrary to popular belief, most children, both boys and girls, would like their parents/carer to talk to them about relationships and sex and, children who talk to their parents about this, are more likely to be responsible in their relationships.

The NSPCC have lots of advice for parents about how to approach these delicate conversations with children.

Let’s talks PANTS, is a programme designed to support parents to talk to younger children about their body, and that their body belongs to them and they have the right to say ‘No’ if someone tries to touch them in a way that they don’t feel comfortable with.

For older children, heading towards their teenage years, their ‘Healthy Relationships’ advice covers topics such as what makes a relationship healthy / unhealthy and what is meant by consent.