Relationships and Health Education (RHE)
At Kells Lane, we believe that knowing how to look after yourself, build healthy relationships and navigate the world around you is just as important as any academic subject. Relationships and Health Education — together with the broader Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) curriculum — sits at the heart of our commitment to developing the whole child. We want every pupil to leave Kells Lane with the knowledge, skills and confidence to make positive choices about their health and wellbeing, form kind and respectful relationships and play an active, responsible role in their community and the wider world. RHE connects directly to our Communication curriculum driver — helping children understand how to communicate with empathy, respect and honesty in every relationship they build — and is central to our vision of helping every child Find Their Remarkable.
Our RHE and PSHE curriculum is delivered through the Pol-Ed programme — a carefully sequenced, age-appropriate framework that covers three interconnected strands: Health and Wellbeing, Relationships and Living in the Wider World. Through Health and Wellbeing, children develop the knowledge and skills to make informed choices about their physical and mental health — understanding their bodies, managing their emotions, building resilience and knowing where to turn for help and support. Through Relationships, children learn what healthy, respectful relationships look, sound and feel like — in friendships, families and the wider community — and develop the confidence and language to recognise and respond to relationships that are not healthy. Through Living in the Wider World, children explore their roles and responsibilities as citizens — understanding rights, rules, diversity, democracy and what it means to contribute positively to the community they are part of.
What does RHE cover?
RHE is not one subject — it weaves together several areas of learning that build on each other as children grow.
Relationships
Friendships, family, healthy and unhealthy relationships, respect, kindness, and how to handle conflict.
Mental Wellbeing
Understanding emotions, mental health, resilience, and knowing when and how to ask for help.
Online Safety
Safe use of the internet, social media, online relationships, privacy, and recognising harmful content.
Physical Health
Healthy eating, exercise, sleep, hygiene, and understanding how to look after their bodies.
Understanding the Law
Age restrictions, rules, rights and responsibilities, and what it means to be a good citizen.
Keeping Safe
Personal safety, recognising risk, trusted adults, and knowing what to do in an emergency.
Mental Health & Well-being
Alongside Pol-Ed, we use Melva to further support the delivery of our RHE curriculum — a programme that helps children develop emotional literacy, self-awareness and the skills to build and maintain positive relationships in an age-appropriate and engaging way.
Mental health and emotional wellbeing are central to our RHE curriculum and to life at Kells Lane more broadly. Alongside our PSHE lessons, we use the THRIVE approach to support children's social and emotional development — helping every child to feel safe, understood and ready to learn. We are also proud to be a The Good Morning Club (TGMC) school, using the TGMC approach to support children's understanding and management of their own emotions — developing the self-regulation skills, resilience and mindful routines that underpin positive relationships and mental health. Together, THRIVE, TGMC and Melva form a coherent and compassionate framework for emotional wellbeing at Kells Lane, ensuring that every child is supported to thrive not just academically but as a whole person. You can find out more about our THRIVE provision on our THRIVE page.
RHE 2026 Consultation
We know that parents play a vital and irreplaceable role in their children's relationships and health education — and we take that seriously. Our curriculum has been shaped in consultation with parents and carers, and we are committed to keeping families informed and involved as our provision develops.
All RHE and PSHE teaching at Kells Lane is delivered in a safe, respectful and age-appropriate way, with staff never expressing personal views or beliefs when delivering the programme. You can find our full curriculum overview and subject on a page using the links below.
Relationship Health Education (RHE) Consultation - Your Questions Answered
RHE What's new from September 2026?
Pol-Ed Links to Statutory RSE Guidance
Year 5 pUBERTY SESSION
This session is delivered by the Growing Healthy Gateshead nursing team, with your child's class teacher present throughout. Parents are given at least two weeks' notice before the session takes place. Contact the RHE Lead if you would like to discuss the content in advance.
Questions? Get in touch.
We are happy to discuss any aspect of the curriculum with you — whether you have a concern, want to see materials, or simply want to understand more about what your child is learning.
Mrs L Duckworth — RHE Lead