PRIMARY RELATIONSHIP & SEX EDUCATION

Find out about our award winning age appropriate relationship & sex education programme for primary children.  Understand how we can help keep your children safe, happy and healthy.

SECONDARY RELATIONSHIP & SEX EDUCATION

Our RSE Lessons for Life programme can give you some ideas about what to cover for what year groups. You can see the topics we define as ‘Essential’, as well as new ‘Emerging’ topics we cover to demonstrate how we can help you future proof your curriculum and your student’s resiliance!

Resources

Browse our range of Relationship and Sex Education books and school resources. These include resources for parents, carers and educational professionals. We also have specialist resources for SEND and gypsy traveller children and young people. 

PARENT ZONE

Read our frequently asked questions, get tips advice from the experts about talking to your children and much more in our dedicated parents’ zone.

Welcome to BigTalk Education

Our vision is to ensure as many children and young people as possible, receive high quality relationship and sex education, to keep them safe, healthy and happy.

Whether you are a parent, school staff or education professional we want to help you ensure that your children have the best possible age appropriate relationship and sex education.

Please take a look around, we have a dedicated parents section which will give you information on what to expect if we are visiting your child’s school, as well as tips and advice on how to talk to your children about their bodies, relationships and sex.

For educators and professionals working with young people take a look at our courses, in school programmes and the resources in our shop.

We look forward to seeing many of you soon in schools and on our regular courses.

Lynnette Smith – Founder of BigTalk Education

Lynnette Smith

Lynnette Smith

Founder of BigTalk Education & Former Chair of the National Children’s Bureau’s Sex Education Forum Advisory Group.

Find out about SRE, RSE and all things Sex Education

Read a history of SRE and RSE in the UK and get information and support about RSE in your school in our info section. >

Working in Primary Schools

Find out about our award winning Growing Up Safe : Whole School Approach programme and the new enhanced programme introduced in preparation for statutory RSE. >

Working with SEND pupils

Read why relationship and sex education is extremely important for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. >

Request information on BigTalk Education's services for your school

Introduction to age appropriate RSE

Our guide to high quality, age appropriate Relationship & Sex Education for your child, helping you know what to expect from us.

BigTalk Education's Growing Up Safe Programme

Children want their parents to be the first people to talk to them about growing up, sex and relationships. Yet many parents say they lack confidence to answer their children's questions frankly, Schools are there to help, and BigTalk Education are here to support Schools and Teachers. Members of the BigTalk Team can come into School for a part or whole day, ensuring your children (and you as parents) are well educated to keep them safe, healthy and happy! Find out more > 

 

BigTalk Education's RSE Lessons for Life

Our Programme in Secondary Schools uses a Youth Work approach to RSE delivery, participation, empowerment and inclusion are fundamental to its success. Our Team fosters a non-judgmental, relaxed, receptive atmosphere, which doesn’t shy away from sensitive issues.

 

Bodies, Babies & Bellybuttons

This book is a gentle introduction for children about their bodies and where they come from. A must have for all parents to help answer your children's questions in a simple, understandable and age appropriate way.

Feedback from school staff on BigTalk Education's Growing Up Safe relationship and sex education programme

What training do you offer?
  • We offer a range of Primary and Secondary RSE training solutions to meet the needs of teachers, trainee teachers and other education professionals. Get in touch to see how we can help.
What themes are covered at what key stage?
  • At age 3 (UK nursery) we teach the differences between boys and girls; naming body parts using the correct scientific words; the private areas of the body; and the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touches.
  • At ages 4 to 6 (UK Reception, School Years 1 & 2 ) we reinforce and strengthen what was covered in Nursery. Using specially designed, child friendly resources and in a calm, open and fun environment, the children are taught how to identify happy situations within relationships, and those which may be risky (e.g., other children or adults taking improper photographs of them, inappropriate touches, exposure to unsuitable media etc.) Throughout the session children are encouraged to join in and reassured that they have people that they can talk to if they are worried.
  • Ages 7 to 8 (School Year 3) the children are taught: the differences between boys and girls, naming body parts using the correct scientific words, and the private areas of the body. Using specially designed child friendly resources and in a calm, open, fun environment, children will be able to identify happy situations within relationships, and those which may be risky (e.g., other children or adults taking improper photographs of them, appropriate and inappropriate touches, exposure to unsuitable media etc.) Throughout the session children are encouraged to join in and reassured that they have people that they can talk to if they are worried.
  • Ages 8 to 9 (School Year 4) we build on the Year 3 information and also cover different kinds of families, similarities and differences between boys and girls. We also include the emotional and physical changes of growing up (puberty), how babies are made, then develop in the womb etc. (reproduction). Also discussed is, how to look after our bodies and be safe and healthy.
  • At ages 8 to 9 (School Year 5 & 6) we cover different kinds of families (same sex parents, foster families etc.), the emotional and physical changes of growing up, similarities and differences between boys and girls (including transgender), coping with different emotions, looking after our bodies as they change and the onset of periods (puberty). In these classes we explain that babies are made from an ovum and a sperm then develop in the womb (reproduction). How to be safe and healthy linking back to and building on identifiable risks, we also strengthen awareness of “our body is our own” and personal safety especially on-line grooming, etc. 
    (Information at this stage is vital to protect them as they move onto Secondary School and to provide an alternative information they may find on the internet.)
Can you help me deliver relationship and sex education in my school as I don’t think we can afford outside specialists?
  • If you are a primary school then yes. Our resources are available to buy on-line however for schools delivering RSE independently we recommend the resources are accompanied by staff training for a minimum of two school staff. In our accompanying training day we cover many aspects of RSE that newcomers or those with outdated training often overlook. Some schools also choose to buy a class set of Bodies, Babies and Bellybuttons books which are a great support for the Growing Up Safe: Whole School Approach.
  • For secondary schools we offer staff training. Contact us for more information.
Can you help me answer questions from the pupils and parents after you go?
  • Some schools find that pupils and parents will raise further questions after BigTalk education visits. We find most teachers who have been to the parent/teacher session and/or taken part in shadow training observing our facilitators are confident in answering parent and pupil questions.
Do you cover my area?
  • We are able to travel to schools all over the UK, however we add associated travel costs to our fees to schools outside our core area of Yorkshire & Humber.
Do you speak to parents?
  • In line with government and Ofsted guidelines we actively engage with parents in our Growing Up Safe: Whole School Approach programme. We offer each of our schools access to our on-line age specific presentations. These are to be shared with School staff, parents and carers to give an introduction to BigTalk, our delivery and the resources used. Any questions which arise having watched these can be directed to our office on admin@bigtalkeducation.co.uk
  • For incidents of inappropriate behaviour or other causes for concerns we offer one to one sessions for individual children or young people. These referrals can come from schools, children’s centres or directly from parents. Whenever a one to one take places we endeavour to ensure our staff member also speaks directly with the child’s parent(s) to discuss the issues at hand and update them on what happened in the session.
Children/a child at our school are/is using inappropriate language/displaying inappropriate behaviour, can you help?
  • If multiple incidents are occurring in a school population such as frequent use of a particular inappropriate word or a ‘game’ of touching sweeping the playground it can often indicate that there is an immediate requirement for a whole school programme of RSE such as the Growing Up Safe: Whole School Approach.
  • If inappropriacy is confined to an individual or if the source of a wider ‘trend’ is discovered, we recommend one to one sessions in addition to the whole school approach, to ensure the child fully understands what is okay and not okay. Use of inappropriate language or behaviour may be indicative of abuse or early stage indicators such as exposure to pornography, therefore immediate one to one intervention is recommended. If you suspect a child may be being abused please refer to your school’s child protection policy, Safeguarding lead or if still in doubt the government guidelines on what to do.
What should I put in our school RSE policy?
  • As part of the Growing Up Safe: Whole School Approach programme BigTalk Education will provide a free example RSE policy for partner schools.
What is in the new statutory guidance?
What do OFSTED require when it comes to RSE and how can you help us be Outstanding?
  • In its 2013 Report PSHE, Not Yet Good Enough Ofsted were quite explicit about what they expected to see in Schools.

    (We are currently awaiting further updates on this guidance from government.

We are currently awaiting further updates on this guidance from government.

"This is our second year with the programme and we wanted to roll this out across the whole school. The sessions were thoroughly informative dealing with issues sensitively but openly. The programme covered a lot of ground effectively. Our children are now confident, knowledgeable and will hopeful grow to be respectful adults once again, a great job. Thank you for spending the day with us."

Emma Shaw

Deputy Headteacher, Bedwell Primary School, Stevenage

"The materials used are at an informative level, without being inappropriate. The language used by the team was at the children's' level so they were able to understand. The children were put at ease, to answer and ask questions. The section on reproduction was very well discussed and paced, to inform the children about sexual relationships, as too were the puberty and period sections. Very good tutors!"

Tracy Brown

Teacher, Priory Lane Community School, Scunthorpe

"One of the best talks on this subject area I have experienced in my teaching career. The instructors were very relaxed and this created a relaxed and open environment."

Mrs C Keel

Head of Science, Kingshott Prep School, Hertfordshire

"High quality delivery which is completely age appropriate, also includes e-safety, transgender, gay, lesbian – essential knowledge." 

Laura Brough

Assistant Headteacher, Eye Primary School, Peterborough

Case Studies

Grange Primary School (Grimsby)

Grange Primary School (Grimsby)

We received another warm welcome from the pupils and staff at Grange Primary. It is great to see that the children had remembered what had been delivered during our last visit and really good to have an opportunity to recap and build on this in line with their...

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Scartho Junior Academy (Grimsby)

Scartho Junior Academy (Grimsby)

Our staff really enjoyed their visit to Scartho Junior Academy and fed back that they were made to feel very welcome by both the staff and pupils, so thank you! The pupils were an absolute pleasure to work with and showed great recall of information from our previous...

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Wrawby St Mary’s Church of England Primary

Wrawby St Mary’s Church of England Primary

We first started supporting Wrawby St Mary's with the delivery of their RSE in 2015 and each time we visited we are greeted with the same warm welcome. The children are comfortable  discussing topics around RSE which is great for their confidence and helps to keep...

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