Webinar VI | Faith Sensitive Relationship & Sex Ed
1. Webinar Series 2015
Faith Sensitive
Relationships and Sex Education
How to handle conversations with
pupils and parents
4.00pm - 4.45pm
Thursday 26th
February 2015
http://www.interfaithexplorers.com/webinars
2. www.interfaithexplorers.com
• Supported by UNESCO
• Helps pupils understand the world around them & respect
cultural and religious diversity
• Offers high quality cross-curricula resources to use with
pupils at Key Stage 2 and those embarking on their Key
Stage 3 transition
• Supports core personal and social skills development as
well as self-directed, exploratory learning
• Promotes universal core values & the development of
ethical thinking
• Designed to compliment RE and PSHE teaching, alongside
citizenship education
3. Webinars
• Support teachers in their work around
interfaith dialogue and RE; as well as PSHE
and Citizenship learning in schools
• Offers a space for teachers to come
together and think about issues arising from
classroom practice in these areas
4. Webinar Presenters
• Claire Clinton
o An experienced teacher within EYFS, Primary and Secondary education
o She has over 20 years of classroom experience, and 16 years of
advisory work at a national and local level
o Presently the Religious Education Advisor for the London Borough of
Newham for eight years
• Jo Sell
o has been a specialist teacher of Relationship and Sex Education (RSE)
for 8 years, building on her 25 years teaching experience delivering
mostly life skills and PSHE
o Additionally, she manages the ‘REALationships Education Team’ at the
Alternatives Trust East London, a charity specializing in delivering
Relationship and Sex Education in schools
5. Session objectives
• To explore the law and best practice around
faith sensitive relationships and sex education
(RSE) in schools;
• To consider the pitfalls and risks of leading
faith sensitive RSE in schools;
• To explore how best to facilitate discussions
around faith sensitive RSE.
6. RSE and the Law
• The 1996 Education Act consolidates all
previous legislation on RSE;
• All schools must provide an up to date policy
that describes the content and organisation
of RSE taught outside of national curriculum
required Science subject.
7. SRE Guidance
• The government’s Sex and Relationship Education
Guidance (July 2000) states that a school’s SRE
Education should aim to prepare young people for
an adult life in which they can:
o Develop positive values and a moral framework that will
guide their decisions, judgements and behaviour;
o Be aware of their sexuality and understand human
sexuality;
o Understand the arguments for delaying sexual activity
o Understand the reasons for having protected sex
o Learn about the nature of marriage and its importance for
family life and the bringing up of children.
8. SRE Guidance cont…
• SRE should also ensure that children and young
people:
o Are protected from teaching and materials which
are inappropriate.
• Schools should also:
o Have regard to the age, religious and cultural
backgrounds of the pupils concerned;
o Tailor their SRE programme to the age and
physical and emotional maturity of their pupils.
9. Potential Pitfalls
• Parents opting out of relationships education;
• Knowing what information is right to give children
and young people at different ages/stages;
• RSE being taught in such a protective way that it is
not relevant to the questions children and young
people are asking;
• Not understanding religious teachings on RSE;
• Give incorrect information to pupils & cause offence
to others;
• Not covering fundamental British values through RSE
10. The challenge!
“We have a responsibility to educate and
support children and young people so
they can make positive decisions about
relationships and sex. I know we can do
this respectfully and well in a multi-
cultural, multi-faith society, as long as we
talk.”
Simon Blake, Chief Executive of young people’s charity Brook in
2008
11. RSE and Sacred texts
• Sacred texts mention sexual relationships in
lots of ways
• However, the image that many young people
have is that Sacred texts:
o Have nothing to say on sexual relationships;
o Or if they do say something it will be
something negative that will be telling them
off
• So are young people right?
12. So what do Sacred texts have to say..?
• In Judaism & Christianity the first thing God
tells Adam and Eve to do is to multiply
• Sexual relations are never seen as something
dirty in marriage:
“You have captivated my heart, my sister,
my bride; you have captivated my heart
with one glance of your eyes, with one
jewel of your necklace. How beautiful is
your love, my sister, my bride! How much
better is your love than wine, and the
fragrance of your oils than any spice!”
Song of Solomon 4:9
13. Sacred texts cont…
• Judaism teaches that the purpose for sex is
not just to have children:
o It is also for married people to demonstrate their
love for each other
• Marriage sanctifies the relationship between
men and women:
“The mating of animals is a temporary and purely
physical act. Through the sanctification of
marriage, a husband and wife become the
closest of relatives.”
Maimonides, 12th
Century
14. Sacred texts cont…
• In the Christian New Testament it says:
“In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own
bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever
hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ
does the church, because we are members of his body...
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast
to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh… This mystery is
profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the
church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself,
and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
Ephesians 5:28-33
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are
outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own
body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy
Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”
1 Corinthians 6:18-19
15. Sacred texts cont…
• One Qur'an verse states:
"The Believers, men and women, are protectors one
of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what
is evil: On them will God pour His mercy: for God is
Exalted in power, Wise." (Al-Tauba, 9:71)
• Even though there are strict Islamic beliefs
regarding sexuality:
o Islamic beliefs always emphasize that there is a divine reward
for sexual relationships within marriage;
o Permissible sexual relationships are considered as great wells
of love and closeness;
o Sex is viewed as a recreational purpose, for strengthening the
bonds between couple;
o Islamic laws explicitly state that both the partners are entitled
to sexual gratification in a marriage.
16. Sacred texts cont…
• Muslims view:
o Sexual intercourse as an act of worship that fulfils
emotional and physical needs as well as being
procreative;
o Having children is the way in which humans can
contribute towards Allah’s creation;
o Sexual intercourse is a gift from Allah and therefore
can only take place within a married relationship;
• Islam encourages people to marry and not to
lead celibate lives;
• Marriage places a responsibility on both the
husband and the wife to meet each other’s
sexual needs.
17. Sacred texts cont…
• Hindus believe that kama (sensual pleasure) is one of the
four purusharthas (aims of life). Sex is considered a good
thing which is to be enjoyed as one of the duties of married
life, particularly in the desire to produce children.
• However, self-control is an important aspect of Hindu
teaching, so sexual intercourse has to take place between
married couples only.
• Before marriage young people should be in the
brahmacharya (the first stage of life) when they should be
concentrating on learning the sacred scriptures and
observing their religious duties. Sex would be a distraction.
• Sexual activity then is for the second stage in life, whilst
married and putting your energies into creating a home
and family.
18. Sacred texts…
• The Guru Granith Sahib says:
“Don't look at the vines of others, be a true
husband.”
Guru Arjan Sahib Ji (page1095)
o Chastity is a very important aspect of Sikh teaching because
the divine spark of Waheguru (God) is present in every human
body, and so the body has to be kept clean and perfect;
o Marriage is seen as a commitment before Waheguru and the
purpose is companionship and help on their spiritual path, rather
than sexual enjoyment;
o Being virgin for your husband / wife is a best way to start an
faithful life;
o The married relationship is summed up in the phrase ‘one soul in
two bodies’, so being faithful to a husband or wife is central to
Sikh life;
o Monogamy is the rule in Sikhism.
19. Sacred texts cont…
• One of the 5 precepts (Conducts for Life) in
Buddhism is: ‘Do not misuse sex’;
• For monks and nuns, this means any
departure from complete celibacy;
• For the laity, adultery is forbidden, along with
any sexual harassment or exploitation,
including that within marriage;
“Don't give way to heedlessness
(thoughtlessness) or to intimacy with sensual
delight – for a heedful (mindful, careful)
person, absorbed in jhana (where your mind is
free), attains an abundance of ease.”
The Buddha, Dhammapada
20. Top tips for RSE teaching (1)
• Involve your parents, allowing them to be
part of what you are planning to do and
teach!
“I was really worried when I got the letter saying
Marek was going to be having sex education – he
was only 7. I went to the parents meeting expecting
to be angry. Once I knew what sex education was –
learning to be nice to people, knowing the parts of
the body, naming feelings and so on I was so pleased
school were doing it.”
Parent of 9 year old
21. Top tips for RSE teaching (2)
• A school should have:
o An effective and enabling policy with an agreed
values framework overseen and ratified by
governors;
o Strong and dynamic partnerships including
partnerships with children, young people,
parents, carers, communities and professionals
are crucial – they all have something to offer;
o Continuing Professional development that is
diverse, relevant and timely and helps teachers
feel confident about the subject matter, different
faith and cultural perspectives.
22. Top tips for teaching RSE (3)
“RSE can be provided in a way that both
respects young people’s faith and allows
them safe space for exploration and
questioning.” Jo Sell
• Every school needs to create bespoke RSE
by finding the best resources and choosing
resources that are suitable for your school
• As educators we have to make the best
choices for our pupils
23. Key principals
• There are many different ideologies around RSE:
o Be analytical about resources and training around RSE,
knowing that every view will carry it’s own bias
• Be a good student:
o Increase your knowledge on religion and secular world views
• Build up community relationships with a range of
people of faith:
o Parents at school and local community leaders are a good
starting point
• Understand the big picture:
o Within any religion, there are range of views within each
religion and between religions
25. www.interfaithexplorers.com can…
• Support you
o Through it’s interfaith pedagogy that uses the
interpretative method
• Provide you
o With first hand answers to questions from
Christians, Muslims and Jewish people through
our video clips
• Help you
o Understand the bigger picture within religion
27. Contact us
For further information about the webinar series and
how Interfaith Explorers can support you visit:
www.interfaithexplorers.com
or contact
Rokhsana Fiaz OBE
Chief Executive
Maimonides Interfaith Foundation
rokhsana@maimonides-foundation.org
