PSHE and RHE
Advice from a Tree
Stand tall and proud
Sink your roots into the earth
Be content
With your natural beauty
Go out on a limb
Drink plenty of water
Remember your roots
Enjoy the view
Ilan Shamir
Relationships and Health Education (RHE) and Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education are two separate curriculum subjects, one of which is a statutory part of the National Curriculum (RHE) and one which is not (PSHE). As both subjects are interlinked, they are sequenced under one curriculum overview; however, for clarity both subjects are referenced under individual headings.
Why do we study RHE?
Relationship and Health Education (RHE) became a statutory subject in all primary schools from September 2020. Today’s children and young people are growing up in an increasingly complex world and living their lives seamlessly on and offline. This presents many positive and exciting opportunities, but also challenges and risks. In this environment, children and young people need to know how to be safe and healthy, and how to manage their academic, personal and social lives in a positive way. The aim of RHE is to put in place the key building blocks of healthy, respectful relationships, focusing on family and friendships, in all contexts, including online. This will sit alongside the essential understanding of how to be healthy.
Why do we study PSHE?
PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) is a non-statutory subject, enabling schools to tailor their programme of study to meet the needs of their community. At the Opossum Federation, PSHE is part of the weekly timetable. It is a valued part of the whole school curriculum as it aims to equip pupils with a sound understanding of risk and with the knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions. Within PSHE education, pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to manage their lives, now and in the future. PSHE education helps pupils to stay healthy, safe and prepared for life and work in modern Britain. PSHE can also help pupils to achieve their academic potential as it develops confidence and self-esteem which increases pupil wellbeing. It helps pupils to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive, physically and emotionally to become healthy individuals, family members and members of society. By developing their knowledge on healthy relationships, pupils will be able to make informed decisions regarding the friendships and relationships they form within their lives.
The National curriculum states the purpose of RHE is to:
Relationships Education: The focus in primary school should be on teaching the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships, with particular reference to friendships, family relationships, and relationships with other children and with adults. This starts with pupils being taught about what a relationship is, what friendship is, what family means and who the people are who can support them. From the beginning of primary school, building on early education, pupils should be taught how to take turns, how to treat each other with kindness, consideration and respect, the importance of honesty and truthfulness, permission seeking and giving, and the concept of personal privacy. Establishing personal space and boundaries, showing respect and understanding the differences between appropriate and inappropriate or unsafe physical, and other, contact – these are the forerunners of teaching about consent.
The curriculum covers the following areas:
- Families and people who care for me
- Caring friendships
- Respectful relationships
- Online relationships
- Being safe
Health Education: The focus in primary school should be on teaching the characteristics of good physical health and mental wellbeing. Teachers should be clear that mental wellbeing is a normal part of daily life, in the same way as physical health. This starts with pupils being taught about the benefits and importance of daily exercise, good nutrition and sufficient sleep, and giving pupils the language and knowledge to understand the normal range of emotions that everyone experiences. This should enable pupils to articulate how they are feeling, develop the language to talk about their bodies, health and emotions and judge whether what they are feeling and how they are behaving is appropriate and proportionate for the situations that they experience.
The curriculum covers the following areas:
- Mental wellbeing
- Internet safety and harms
- Physical health and fitness
- Healthy Eating
- Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
- Health and prevention
- Basic First Aid
- Changing adolescent body
The National curriculum states the purpose of PSHE is to:
PSHE education is a non-statutory subject but the DfE states that the PSHE programme on offer within schools should equip pupils with a sound understanding of risk and with the knowledge and skills necessary to make safe and informed decisions.
Through their study of the Opossum RHE and PSHE curriculum, we intend that pupils will:
1. Develop safe and healthy relationships.
Pupils will learn what a relationship is and the attributes required to develop positive relationships; family relationships, friendships and relationships with other children and adults. Pupils will develop their knowledge and understanding of respect, honesty, personal space and boundaries, the right to privacy and consent and the importance of these within all relationships. Having secure knowledge within these areas will enable pupils to understand what a safe relationship is, equipping them with appropriate strategies when faced with challenges.
2. Gain knowledge and skills to make safe and informed decisions.
Through the RHE and PSHE curriculum, pupils will gain a wealth of knowledge which impacts all aspects of their life (relationships, health, physical and mental wellbeing, economic wellbeing, online presence and safety). Pupils will learn how to use this knowledge to make informed decisions to ensure that they can keep themselves safe in all areas of their lives. Pupils will be confident in articulating their decisions and will be able to use knowledge to give reasons for these.
3. Gain knowledge on how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy.
Pupils must be physically and mentally healthy if they are to achieve well throughout their education. Equipping pupils with the knowledge and skills on how to keep themselves healthy is a fundamental life skill, which will have a direct impact on their individual lives, both now and in later life. Pupils will develop knowledge of physical and mental health and the strategies they can use to support it. They will have the opportunity to practise these strategies and discuss the impact of them on their physical and mental health.
4.Develop financial knowledge and understanding to support them in later life.
We intend that pupils will develop a secure financial knowledge, which will support them in later life. By learning about what money is, the different methods to pay for things, choices of how to spend and save money and how spending decisions can affect others, pupils will be able to make informed financial decisions.
5. Gain confidence and self-esteem.
Through the RHE and PSHE curriculum, pupils will gain knowledge and understanding, which supports them in revealing who they are and the attributes that contribute to a positive and safe society. Acquiring the appropriate knowledge will enable pupils to make informed decisions, which in turn develops confidence and self-esteem. Having strategies to support positive physical and mental wellbeing will also promote pupils' self-esteem.
6. Become active citizens who will be aware of and take action on local, national and global issues
Through the study of PSHE, pupils will gain a wealth of knowledge on relationships, physical and mental health, economic wellbeing, online presence and safety. Using this knowledge, pupils will develop an inherent understanding of how they can impact the environment in which they live, locally, nationally and globally. Through this, we intend for pupils to become conscious-minded of the world around them, understand others, and work towards making the entire globe a better place, beginning with issues which are relevant to their local communities.
Opossum Values
Through their study of PSHE and RHE, Opossum values are realised.
Being Respectful – demonstrating respect for themselves and others in the relationships they form
Being Aspirational – an expectation that pupils set high standards for themselves now, and in the future
Being Caring – demonstrating empathy within the relationships they have and demonstrating care for
their own physical and mental health, and that of others
Having Integrity - using factual knowledge and understanding to make informed decisions for themselves and others
Being Creative – using creative skills to enhance their mental health and wellbeing
Being Community Minded – recognising that their actions have a local, national and global impact
Scope and Sequence
The Opossum RHE and PSHE curriculum has been designed using six half-termly core themes, which are covered from Years 1-6. They are as follows:
- Health and wellbeing: Physical and Mental Health
- Health and wellbeing: Keeping Safe
- Relationships: Family and Friendships
- Relationships: Respectful and Safe Relationships
- Living in the Wider World: Economic Wellbeing
- Health and wellbeing: Ourselves- Growing and Changing
The core themes have been developed in line with the PSHE Association programme of study and the key themes within the RHE curriculum. The Opossum curriculum is a comprehensive programme of study, which integrates, but is not limited to, the statutory content. Statutory content is covered by learning opportunities for each key stage across the six core themes, as above. A high quality PSHE curriculum will also cover economic wellbeing, careers and enterprise education, as well as education for personal safety, including assessing and managing risk. These areas are mainly covered with the 'Living in the Wider World' and ‘Health and Wellbeing- Keeping Safe’ core themes – and though not yet statutory, is a vital part of the Opossum curriculum in ensuring it meets its overall aims and values.
As each of the six core themes are covered from Y1-6, it allows for clear progression across all areas. It also allows the themes to be revisited and built upon each year, ensuring pupils are building their knowledge and understanding in all areas.
One Decision- a teaching resource
One Decision is the main resource used to teach RHE and PSHE, focusing on using scenarios (videos) to promote knowledge and understanding through whole class and small group discussions. Pupils are encouraged to ask questions and discuss varying viewpoints within lessons. Other resources include those which have been created within the federation.
EYFS
EYFS is the bedrock of the RHE and PSHE curriculum for KS1 and KS2. Children’s personal, social and emotional development (PSED) is crucial for children to lead healthy and happy lives, and is fundamental to their cognitive development. Underpinning their personal development are the important attachments that shape their social world. Strong, warm and supportive relationships with adults enable children to learn how to understand their own feelings and those of others. IN EYFS, Pupils are supported to manage emotions, develop a positive sense of self, set themselves simple goals, have confidence in their own abilities, to persist and wait for what they want and direct attention as necessary. Through adult modelling and guidance, they will learn how to look after their bodies, including healthy eating, and manage personal needs independently. Through supported interaction with other children they learn how to make good friendships, co-operate and resolve conflicts peaceably. These attributes will provide a secure platform from which children can achieve at school and in later life. This is key learning for the development of RHE and PSHE within KS1 and KS2.
KS1
Whole school core themes have been developed to ensure progression across the curriculum. In KS1 pupils learn how to keep healthy, both physically and mentally by learning about key food groups and the impact of exercise on their bodies. Zones of Regulation is introduced as a strategy to develop emotional wellbeing; this is a whole school approach. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe within their local area (home and school) by learning about hazards and how to respond to them. When applicable, links are made with other subjects e.g. as Y2 pupils learn about the Great fire of London in History, they will learn about fire safety in PSHE. The valuable work of EYFS is developed further as pupils develop their knowledge and understanding of friendships, learning about the attributes of a good friend and how to resolve simple problems positively. This is fundamental to ensure that pupils engage in safe, respectful relationships which contribute positively to their lives. Safeguarding is a critical aspect of the RHE and PSHE curriculum, supporting pupils to gain knowledge of how to recognise when a situation is not safe and how to gain support to keep themselves safe. Information on local contextual safeguarding issues is used to define this area of the curriculum. For example, given the prevalence of domestic violence, pupils are taught what a safe and healthy relationship is within the context of a family.
KS2
The curriculum in KS2 further develops pupils' knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Pupils learn the effects of medicines, alcohol, smoking and drugs on the body with opportunities to discuss and debate these topics in detail. Contextual safeguarding is considered in the curriculum plans for KS2, e.g. pupils in Y6 learn about Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Relationships education includes learning about the wide-ranging family structures which are reflective of our wider school community e.g. same sex parents and multi-generational households. Developing opportunities for pupils to discuss and debate a wide variety of issues within the RHE and PSHE curriculum, enables pupils to develop an understanding of a range of issues which are relevant to the community in which they live e.g. FGM, same sex relationships, religious and cultural differences etc. Within UKS2 pupils have the opportunity to engage in project based learning which focuses on supporting their transition from primary to secondary school e.g. TfL workshops (safe travel), gang awareness workshops (contextual safeguarding).
Opossum Federation RHE and PSHE Curriculum Map
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
EYFS | The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) focuses on developing positive relationships and interactions, ensuring that children are able to express and articulate their own feelings as well as understand and respect the needs of others. Adults focus on ensuring that pupils know how to take care of themselves, manage their personal needs and know the importance of healthy eating and living. From learning how to wash our hands thoroughly to understanding the importance of getting enough sleep, pupils in nursery and reception are taught how to take care of themselves so that they are happy, healthy and independent. All pupils should be able to work towards simple goals, follow instructions, be resilient and confident, and work and play cooperatively with others. | |||||
Half- termly theme Y1-6 | Health and Wellbeing: physical and mental health | Health and wellbeing: keeping safe | Relationships: Families and Friendships | Relationships: Respectful and Safe relationships | Living in the Wider World: Financial Literacy | Health and wellbeing: Ourselves- Growing and Changing |
Y1 | Know what keeping healthy means Simple hygiene routines-washing hands Know about dental care Know about the people who help us to stay physically healthy Recognise & name feelings/ emotions Share and describe feelings Recognise the things that contribute to positive feelings
| Know how to keep safe at home (including around electrical appliances) Know about the people whose job it is to help keep us safe Know how to get help in an emergency (how to dial 999 and what to say) Know ways to keep safe in familiar and unfamiliar environments
| To identify the people who love and care for them and what they do to help them feel cared for To identify common features of family life To know how people make friends and what makes a good friendship To recognise when they or someone else feels lonely and what to do
| To understand how to respond safely to adults they don’t know To understand about the importance of not keeping adults’ secrets (only happy surprises that others will find out about eventually) Know what is kind and unkind behaviour, and how this can affect others To recognise the ways in which they are the same and different to others Know how to listen to other people and play and work cooperatively
| Know what money is; forms that money comes in; that money comes from different sources Know about the difference between needs and wants
| To recognise what makes them special To identify what they are good at, what they like and dislike To know about growing and changing from young to old and how people’s needs change To discuss how to prepare to move to a new class/year group
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Y2 | Know foods that support good health and those that don’t Know how to be physically active everyday About why sleep is important and different ways to rest and relax Know that medicines help people to stay healthy About different ways to learn and play Know how feelings affect people’s body and behaviour Recognise how others may be feeling How to manage feelings
| Know about rules and age restrictions that keep us safe Fire Safety (link with Great Fire of London) To recognise risk in simple everyday situations and what action to take to minimise harm Know about what to do if there is an accident and someone is hurt Know how to cross the road safely
| Know about different types of families including those that may be different to their own To know that it is important to tell someone if something about their family makes them unhappy or worried (vide0) To know how people make friends and what makes a good friendship To develop simple strategies to resolve arguments between friends positively To know how to ask for help if a friendship is making them feel unhappy
| To understand how to respond if physical contact makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe To understand that there are situations when they should ask for permission and also when their permission should be sought To develop basic techniques for resisting pressure to do something they don’t want to do and which may make them unsafe Know how to treat themselves and others with respect; how to be polite and courteous Know how to talk about and respectfully share their opinions on things that matter to them | Know that people make different choices about how to save and spend money Know that money needs to be looked after; different ways of doing this
| To recognise the ways in which we are all unique To know how to manage when finding things difficult To know about growing and changing from young to old and how people’s needs change To discuss how to prepare to move to a new class/year group
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Y3 | The elements of a balanced, healthy lifestyle How medicines, when used responsibly, contribute to health; that some diseases can be prevented by vaccinations and immunisations; how allergies can be managed To develop a varied vocabulary to use when talking about feelings; about how to express feelings in different ways To understand everyday things that affect feelings and the importance of expressing feelings To recognise that feelings can change over time and range in intensity
| To understand hazards (including fire risks) that may cause harm, injury or risk in the home and what they can do reduce risks and keep safe To know how to predict, assess and manage risk in different situations- on the road/ water different environments
| To recognise that there are different types of relationships (e.g. friendships, family relationships, romantic relationships, online relationships) To understand that a feature of positive family life is caring relationships; about the different ways in which people care for one another To know how people make friends and what makes a good friendship To know how to recognise when they or someone else feels lonely and what to do To develop simple strategies to resolve arguments between friends positively
| To recognise different types of physical contact; what is acceptable and unacceptable; strategies to respond to unwanted physical contact To recognise that some things are private and the importance of respecting privacy; that parts of their body covered by underwear are private To know how to respond safely and appropriately to adults they may encounter (in all contexts including online) whom they do not know To know that about keeping something confidential or secret, when this should or should not be agreed to, and when it is right to break a confidence or share a secret To understand that personal behaviour can affect other people (stealing); to recognise and model respectful behaviour online
| To understand the different ways to pay for things and the choices people have about this To recognise that people make spending decisions based on priorities, needs and wants To understand the risks associated with money (e.g. money can be won, lost or stolen) and ways of keeping money safe To recognise that people have different attitudes towards saving and spending money; what influences people’s decisions; what makes something ‘good value for money’ To understand that some jobs are paid more than others and money is one factor which may influence a person’s job or career choice To identify the kind of job that they might like to do when they are older
| To recognise their individuality and personal qualities To understand personal identity; what contributes to who we are (e.g. ethnicity, family, gender, faith, culture, hobbies, likes/dislikes) To develop strategies to manage transitions between year groups
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Y4 | To know choices that support a healthy lifestyle, and recognise what might influence these To understand how to recognise that habits can have both positive and negative effects on a healthy lifestyle How to maintain good oral hygiene (including correct brushing and flossing); dentist visits; the impact of lifestyle choices on dental care (covered in Science unit) To develop a varied vocabulary to use when talking about feelings; about how to express feelings in different ways To develop strategies to respond to feelings, including intense or conflicting feelings To recognise warning signs about mental health and wellbeing and how to seek support for themselves and others | To understand the importance of taking medicines correctly and using household products safely, (e.g. following instructions carefully) To understand the importance of keeping personal information private; strategies for keeping safe online, including how to manage requests for personal information or images of themselves and others; what to do if frightened or worried by something seen or read online and how to report concerns, inappropriate content and contact (Online safety) To develop strategies for keeping safe in the local environment or unfamiliar places (water/ cycle)
| To recognise and respect that there are different types of family structure (including single parents, same-sex parents, step-parents, blended families, foster parents); that families of all types can give family members love, security and stability To recognise other shared characteristics of healthy family life, including commitment, care, spending time together; being there for each other in times of difficulty To understand the importance of friendships; strategies for building positive friendships; how positive friendships support wellbeing To understand what constitutes a positive healthy friendship; that the same principles apply to online friendships as to face-to-face relationships To know how to ask for help if a friendship is making them feel unhappy
| To know about privacy and personal boundaries; what is appropriate in friendships and wider relationships (including online) To understand why someone may behave differently online, including pretending to be someone they are not; strategies for recognising risks, harmful content and contact; how to report concerns To recognise and respect the differences and similarities between people e.g. physically, in personality or background
| To understand the different ways to pay for things and the choices people have about this To recognise that people make spending decisions based on priorities, needs and wants To understand the risks associated with money (e.g. money can be won, lost or stolen) and ways of keeping money safe To recognise that people have different attitudes towards saving and spending money; what influences people’s decisions; what makes something ‘good value for money’ To understand that some jobs are paid more than others and money is one factor which may influence a person’s job or career choice To identify the kind of job that they might like to do when they are older
| To recognise their individuality and personal qualities To understand personal identity; what contributes to who we are (e.g. ethnicity, family, gender, faith, culture, hobbies, likes/dislikes) To develop strategies to manage transitions between classes/ year groups
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Y5 | To understand what constitutes a healthy diet; how to plan healthy meals; benefits to health and wellbeing of eating nutritionally rich foods; risks associated with not eating a healthy diet (link with Science unit) To understand what good physical health means; how to recognise early signs of physical illness. How regular (daily/weekly) exercise benefits mental and physical health and some of the risks associated with an inactive lifestyle To understand that mental health is part of daily life; the importance of taking care of mental health To develop strategies and behaviours that support mental health To recognise that anyone can experience mental ill health; that most difficulties can be resolved with help and support; and that it is important to discuss feelings with a trusted adult
| To know reasons for following and complying with regulations and restrictions (including age restrictions); how they promote personal safety and wellbeing with reference to social media, television programmes, films, games and online gaming To understand the risks and effects of legal drugs common to everyday life (e.g. cigarettes, e-cigarettes/vaping, alcohol and medicines) and their impact on health; recognise that drug use can become a habit which can be difficult to break To recognise that there are laws surrounding the use of legal drugs and that some drugs are illegal to own, use and give to others To understand why people choose to use or not use drugs (including nicotine, alcohol and medicines) To understand the mixed messages in the media about drugs, including alcohol and smoking/vaping To know about the organisations that can support people concerning alcohol, tobacco and nicotine or other drug use; people they can talk to if they have concerns
| To understand that marriage and civil partnership as a legal declaration of commitment made by two adults who love and care for each other, which is intended to be lifelong To understand that forcing anyone to marry against their will is a crime; that help and support is available to people who are worried about this for themselves or others To understand that people who love and care for each other can be in a committed relationship (e.g. marriage), living together, but may also live apart To understand that healthy friendships make people feel included; recognise when others may feel lonely or excluded; strategies for how to include them To develop strategies for recognising and managing peer influence and a desire for peer approval in friendships; to recognise the effect of online actions on others To understand the importance of seeking support if feeling lonely or excluded
| To understand the importance of seeking and giving permission (consent) in different situations To recognise pressure from others to do something unsafe or that makes them feel uncomfortable and strategies for managing this To know where to get advice and report concerns if worried about their own or someone else’s personal safety (including online) To recognise the importance of self-respect and how this can affect their thoughts and feelings about themselves; that everyone, including them, should expect to be treated politely and with respect by others (including when online and/or anonymous) in school and in wider society;
| To understand different ways to keep track of money To understand the risks involved in borrowing and gambling; -related activities and their impact on health, wellbeing and future aspirations To identify the ways that money can impact on people’s feelings and emotions To identify the kind of job that they might like to do when they are older To recognise a variety of routes into careers (e.g. college, apprenticeship, university)
| To identify personal strengths, skills, achievements and interests and how these contribute to a sense of self-worth To understand how to manage setbacks/perceived failures, including how to re-frame unhelpful thinking To know the new opportunities and responsibilities that increasing independence may bring To develop strategies to manage transitions between classes and key stages
Health Education and Science Curriculum (Health and well-being day) To identify the external genitalia and internal reproductive organs in males and females and how the process of puberty relates to human reproduction To understand the physical and emotional changes that happen when approaching and during puberty (including menstruation, erections and wet dreams) To understand how hygiene routines change during the time of puberty, the importance of keeping clean and how to maintain personal hygiene To know where to get more information, help and advice about growing and changing, especially about puberty
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Y6 | How sleep contributes to a healthy lifestyle; routines that support good quality sleep; the effects of lack of sleep on the body, feelings, behaviour and ability to learn How and when to seek support, including which adults to speak to in and outside school, if they are worried about their health To understand change and loss, including death, and how these can affect feelings; ways of expressing and managing grief and bereavement To develop problem-solving strategies for dealing with emotions, challenges and change, including the transition to new schools
| To develop strategies for keeping safe in the local environment or unfamiliar places; safe use of digital devices when out and about To understand what is meant by first aid; basic techniques for dealing with common injuries To know how to respond and react in an emergency situation; how to identify situations that may require the emergency services; know how to contact them and what to say To understand that FGM is against British law, what to do and whom to tell if they think they or someone they know might be at risk
| To understand that people may be attracted to someone emotionally, romantically and sexually; that people may be attracted to someone of the same sex or different sex to them; that gender identity and sexual orientation are different To understand how friendships can change over time, about making new friends and the benefits of having different types of friends To understand that friendships have ups and downs; strategies to resolve disputes and reconcile differences positively and safely To recognise what it means to ‘know someone online’ and how this differs from knowing someone face-to-face; risks of communicating online with others not known face-to-face To recognise if a friendship (online or offline) is making them feel unsafe or uncomfortable; how to manage this and ask for support if necessary
| To understand the importance of seeking and giving permission (consent) in different situations e.g image sharing To recognise pressure from others to do something unsafe or that makes them feel uncomfortable and strategies for managing this e.g. stealing To know where to get advice and report concerns if worried about their own or someone else’s personal safety (including online) To be able to listen and respond respectfully to a wide range of people, including those whose traditions, beliefs and lifestyle are different to their own To know how to discuss and debate topical issues, respect other people’s point of view and constructively challenge those they disagree with
| To understand different ways to keep track of money To understand the risks involved in borrowing and gambling; -related activities and their impact on health, wellbeing and future aspirations To identify the ways that money can impact on people’s feelings and emotions To identify the kind of job that they might like to do when they are older To recognise a variety of routes into careers (e.g. college, apprenticeship, university)
| To identify personal strengths, skills, achievements and interests and how these contribute to a sense of self-worth To understand how to manage setbacks/perceived failures, including how to re-frame unhelpful thinking To understand that for some people gender identity does not correspond with their biological sex To know the new opportunities and responsibilities that increasing independence may bring To develop strategies to manage transitions between classes and key stages
Health Education and Science Curriculum (Health and well-being day) To identify the external genitalia and internal reproductive organs in males and females and how the process of puberty relates to human reproduction To understand the physical and emotional changes that happen when approaching and during puberty (including menstruation, erections and wet dreams) To understand how hygiene routines change during the time of puberty, the importance of keeping clean and how to maintain personal hygiene To know where to get more information, help and advice about growing and changing, especially about puberty
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