Runaire a' Chaibineit airson Foghlaim agus lonnsachadh Fad-bheatha Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

Michael Russell MSPjBPA

FIT:0845 7741741
E: scottish.ministers@scotland.gsLgov.uk

The Scottish Government

Rlaghaltas na h-Alba

Ms Kezia Dugdale MSP The Scottish Parliament EDINBURGH EH991SP

Ur faidhlelYour ref: GC-29/06/11 Ar faidhle/Our ref: 2011/1010583 gAl August 2011

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That! you for your letter dated 29 June 2011 in regards to sexual health and relationships education. 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 we are 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 the law 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

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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 will and Responsible) develo ed b an e atlonshlps Education/Safe, Happy teac~~rs, student~, paren~ h~~I~h~~~:~~~~~~~snd;~~~~ao~ ye~rs. o.f cofnsultation .with practitioners 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

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speclficall.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 g appropnate 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 that our 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.uk

INVESTOR C'JPEOPUl