Plan sexuality and gender education years 1-8
Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Developing an inclusive classroom and curriculum’
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Use the Sexuality Education Guide
Use the Sexuality Education Guide
The Sexuality Education Guide provides staff and boards of trustees with the skills, knowledge and understanding to develop positive attitudes towards sexuality.
Explore Te Whare Tapa Whā
Explore Te Whare Tapa Whā
Sexuality education is based on the concept of hauora. This approach recognises that sexuality has social, physical mental and emotional, and spiritual dimensions.
These aspects are interrelated.
Focus areas in years 1–6
Focus areas in years 1–6
Students will learn about:
Years 1–3
- growth and development
- the human body
- friendships and family relationships
- changes in growth and identifying body parts
- questioning and discussing gender stereotypes and norms
- sharing and expressing feelings
Years 4–6
- pubertal change
- growth and development
- supporting themselves and others through change
- developing a positive body image
- how social messages and stereotypes about relationships, sexuality, and gender affect wellbeing
- planning strategies for positive relationships
- identifying risks and issues in online and social media environments
- messages related to gender, sexuality, and diversity
- accessing health care.
Understand stages of development
Understand stages of development
Ages 5–8
- By the age of six, most children show an interest in how babies are made.
- They will want to know how the egg and sperm get together.
- They are interested in pregnancy and birth.
- Some children in this age group may be aware of the connection between “making babies” and sexual pleasure.
- They are likely to hear stories about sex in the playground.
- Some children will become aware that not everyone is heterosexual.
- They have a growing awareness of sanctioned gender roles, such as “girls don’t play soccer” or “boys don’t cry”.
Ages 9–12
- Children’s bodies develop and change while at primary school.
- All children need to know about puberty before it happens.
- Sometimes children feel anxious about puberty.
- Children have a growing interest in sex. They may look up information in books, tell rude jokes and talk with their friends about sex.
- They may go into and out of gender segregation, applying harsh gender stereotypical rules and censure to each other’s behaviour.
- Some children will have an interest in expressing their sexuality in dress.
Source: Catching on early: Sexuality education for Victorian primary schools (opens in a new tab/window)
Tips for developing programmes
Tips for developing programmes
Successful programmes are:
- well planned, informed by theory and evidence, and up-to-date
- integrated into the curriculum, with clear achievement objectives identified
- aimed at influencing specific risk factors/protective factors/core competencies
- focused on developing personal and social skills
- developmentally, personally, and culturally appropriate
- designed to include critical thinking and reflection
- not focused solely on dangers, risks, and prevention but explore the meanings associated with sex and sexuality for individuals and society
- assessed according to learning (not behaviour)
- connected with the social worlds of children and young people
- informed by the needs and perspectives of students
- linked with families and communities
- considerate of environmental influences and contemporary issues and practices
- designed using active and interactive teaching methods, including inquiry-based learning
- planned and delivered by teachers who have the requisite knowledge and the appropriate skills, values, and qualities
- resourced appropriately, including in relation to teachers’ professional development needs
- supported by documented guidelines and school-wide practices.
Source: Sexuality education in The New Zealand Curriculum (opens in a new tab/window)
Useful resources
Useful resources
Catching on early: Sexuality education for Victorian primary schools
Read time: 236 min
Publisher: FUSE
Ka puāwai, ka hiki ke te haere (Sexuality education: Years 1 to 4)
Publisher: New Zealand Family Planning
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Develop an inclusive classroom and curriculum”:
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Current page Plan sexuality and gender education years 1-8
Return to the guide “Supporting LGBTIQA+ students”
How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: LGBTIQA+ students
Understand:
Strategies for action:
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Build knowledge of sex, gender, and sexuality diversityShow suggestions for Build knowledge of sex, gender, and sexuality diversity
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Design inclusive school-wide systems and processesShow suggestions for Design inclusive school-wide systems and processes
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Address immediate environmental, physical and social needsShow suggestions for Address immediate environmental, physical and social needs
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Develop an inclusive classroom and curriculumShow suggestions for Develop an inclusive classroom and curriculum
- Develop inclusive classroom routines
- Use inclusive language
- Make LGBTIQA+ content visible
- Use targeted programmes to facilitate discussion
- Plan sexuality and gender education years 1-8
- Plan sexuality and gender education years 9-13
