Thoughts for the week:
The ‘Thoughts for the Week’ are delivered by a tutor, based around themes which reflect the school’s commitment to promoting SMSC, British Values and our values of PRIDE and RESPECT. They offer students a time for reflection and discussion about a particular issue, quote theme, question or image. They are based on the assembly theme for the week to promote SMSC, the school ethos and British Values. The focus of Collective Worship is reflection, learning and developing tolerance and understanding.
Intent: The Guidance curriculum
At Burnside College, our Guidance Curriculum delivers the statutory Relationships, Sex, and Health Education (RSHE) required of all maintained secondary schools. We ensure all content is age-appropriate, developmentally aligned with the 2026 statutory guidelines, and delivered with sensitivity and respect for the diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and values of our students and families.
Our curriculum equips students with essential knowledge of the law, personal safety, and practical strategies to support their own and others’ wellbeing. Beyond RSHE, Guidance sessions integrate essential life skills, financial literacy, and comprehensive careers education – empowering our students to become confident, resilient adults who make a meaningful contribution to society.
Through the RSE Curriculum, we aim to:
- Build upon the knowledge acquired at primary school
- Develop pupils’ understanding of health with an increased focus on risk areas such as drugs and alcohol
- Introduce knowledge about intimate relationships and sex
- Meet the needs of all students including SEND students (as set out in the SEND Code of Practice) and the needs of the community
- Develop the Burnside Character skills in all students
- Develop students personal attributes such as kindness, integrity, generosity and honesty in line with the school ethos
- To promote the spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development of students and school and in society
- Develop student’s ability to form healthy relationships
- Comply with the Equality Act 2010 and not unlawfully discriminate against students because of their age, sex, race, disability, religion or belief, gender reassignment or sexual orientation when planning and teaching the RSE curriculum
The RSE curriculum is available for all stakeholders to view on the school website and is broken down into topics so all stakeholders are aware of what is being covered and when. Variations to timings may occur due to unforeseen circumstances.
Burnside RSE curriculum 2026 – 2027
DFE Statutory RSE Objectives and Coverage
Parental Right to Request Withdrawal
Parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of the non-statutory Sex Education delivered within statutory RSE. Parents do not have the right to withdraw students from Relationships Education, Health Education, or topics taught as part of the statutory Science curriculum.
Withdrawal requests must be submitted in writing to Mrs A Welch, followed by a consultation meeting to discuss the request. Please note that from three terms before a pupil turns 16, the pupil gains the legal right to opt back into sex education lessons. Full details on this process can be found in our school RSE Policy.
Throughout the Guidance Curriculum we also signpost our young people to support services available to them both in and outside of school. These could include external support websites such as Kooth, Childline or the NSPCC. Links to these are also available through our support and wellbeing section of the school website.
PSHE: Personal, Social, Health and Economic education – the broader curriculum covering health, finance, personal safety, and career progression.
RSHE: Statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education – the compulsory core of PSHE focused on relationships, health, identity, law, and safety.
SMSC: Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development – the personal qualities and broader social awareness students develop throughout school life.
British Values: Core values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
RE Curriculum: This is from the North Tyneside Agreed Syllabus in Yr 7-9 and AQA GCSE content in KS4.
Co-ordinators: KS3/4/5: Miss A Hunter and KS5: Ms L Rodgers
SLT leader: Mrs A Welch