Miss Hayward

 

Sexuality education is one of seven key areas of learning in the health and physical education learning area of The New Zealand Curriculum. It must be included in teaching programmes at both primary and secondary school levels, using the strands and achievement objectives outlined in the curriculum.

 

Sexuality education is viewed as a lifelong process. It provides students with the knowledge, understanding, and skills to develop positive attitudes towards sexuality, to take care of their sexual health, and to enhance their interpersonal relationships, now and in the future. It includes the concept of hauora, the process of health promotion, and the socio-ecological perspective. Students will consider how the physical, social, mental and emotional, and spiritual dimensions of sexuality influence their well-being. Through the socio-ecological perspective students will critically examine the social, economic, political, and cultural influences that shape the ways people learn about and express their sexuality. Influences may include gender roles, body image, discrimination, equity, mass media, social media in online environments, culturally-based values and beliefs, and the law. Sexuality education is enhanced when supportive school policies and practices are developed, links with relevant community agencies are made, and students are helped to identify and access support. Exploration of personal and societal attitudes and values about sexuality is important.

Students require a range of developmentally appropriate learning opportunities in sexuality education. These include opportunities to develop:

• knowledge, understandings, and skills relating to sexual health and development: physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual

• knowledge, understandings, and skills to enhance their sexual and reproductive health, for example, knowledge about the process of conception, contraception, and the skills to make decisions that maintain and enhance their sexual health and experiences

• understandings and skills to enhance relationships, for example in relation to friendships, intimate relationships, love, families, and parenting

• critical thinking, reflection, and social-action skills related to issues of equity, gender, body image, sexualisation, risk, and safety.

• personal and interpersonal skills and related attitudes, including:

  • personal rights and responsibilities, including consent

  • the skills needed to examine people’s attitudes, values, beliefs, rights, and responsibilities

  • attitudes of respect for themselves and other people

  • attitudes of care and concern for themselves and other people

  • ethical values

  • effective communication skills, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.