CViE Update – March 23, 2021
The Question of Life on Mars (Webinar)
There has been much written and spoken about Mars since the landing of the NASA Mars rover ‘Perseverance’ on February 18, 2021 at 7:30 pm.
Answers in Genesis have published details of a webinar on Friday, 9 April 2021 “The Question of Life on Mars” Professor Stuart Burgess (University of Bristol) will explain what the Bible teaches about the possibility of life on other planets and how Christians should respond to such endeavours.
There is no charge for this event which will be delivered by Zoom although anyone wishing to register must do so before 5:00 p.m. Friday, 9 April 2021. Further details can be found by clicking here .
LovewiseOnline
LovewiseOnline is a Christian website for young people aged 13+ with Biblical teaching on relationships, marriage, sex and wise living. CViE in 2018 published a post spotlighting the launch of LovewiseOnline.org and those wishing to know more can click here .
In recent months, LovewiseOnline published two posts: How can I make good choices when I move away from home? and What Makes a Good Friend? The first of these links may well be of interest to young people who are moving away from home either because of work or attending higher education. Not only is this a time of concern for individuals but also for their parents and family. This post is a useful starting point for a discussion on this important step in life. (Although there parents may have concerns about their children becoming too involved in things, it is important that these are discussed before rather than after someone becomes embroiled.)
The second post considers what is true friendship from a Biblical perspective especially in this day when people get carried away with likes and how many friends they have virtually. It is a mercy when we can look back in our lives and see the Lord’s hand in providing us with true friends.
CViE would be pleased to hear the experiences of those who have left home and seen the Lord’s hand going before and keeping them. Also there may be experiences of the importance of true friendship. Contributions can be sent, in complete confidence, to enquiries@cvie.org.uk and an individual’s anonymity will be respected.
Relationships, sex and health education (RSHE)
CViE published a post in 2020 RSE Update – A Temporary Reprieve setting out the Department for Education (DfE) communication to schools with regard to delaying the introduction of Relationships and Sex and Health Education (RSHE).
The DfE has recently published (March 16, 2021) as part of its COVID-19 operational guidance for schools the following information:
- Schools are required to provide some relationships, sex and health education to all secondary age pupils in the academic year 2020 to 2021, and to provide some relationships and health education to all primary age pupils.
- You are also required by law to publish a relationships and sex education (RSE) policy and to consult parents on this. You must engage with parents on the school’s RSE policy. You can do this online and do not necessarily need to do so in person.
- You may choose to focus this year’s RSHE teaching on the immediate needs of your pupils, such as health education, introducing a more comprehensive RSHE programme in September 2021.
- You should prioritise RSHE content based on the needs of your pupils, with particular attention to the importance of positive relationships, as well as mental and physical health.
From the information provided then schools, unless they already done so, will be to introduce their full RSHE programme in September 2021. An important precursor to this is the legal requirement to publish a relationships and sex education (RSE) policy and to consult with parents. By implication consultation involves a meaningful conversation between parties and is not just about engagement.
As part of the consultation process, parents should be made aware of the materials that are being used and have access to them. This is a very important obligation on parents and do you, as a Christian parent, know what your materials are being used to ‘teach’ your child/children in RSHE. Their minds are too precious not to be aware of what is being taught.
Christian Concern published last year which has been recently updated an outline letter that can be used in contacting schools regarding consultation on their relationships and sex education policy. The letter is in the form of a template and is a useful guide, however as is generally the case it is best to use your own words when writing letters of this sort. (See: RSE Victory for Parental Rights – for now)
The Values Foundation have developed a website RSEReview that highlights some of the materials, in a sensitive way, some of the materials that are available to schools that have been used by organisations promoting ideologies contrary to the values we would hold.
On the landing page there is a video that highlights the dangers and if you have time for nothing else, do watch the 2-minute video (“Should children be exposed to these materials at school?”). There is also a webpage that reviews the various resources produced by organisations that would home values contrary to those of Christian parents and other faiths. It is surprising, the range materials that is out there with the potential of harming the minds of children and young people. The resource page can be found by clicking here.
Over recent years as RSHE has become an issue CViE has tried to keep abreast of what is happening and updating the website. We are hoping over the forthcoming weeks to start to organise the information that is available so that it is more accessible to parents, teachers and those with an interest in the education of children in helping and equipping them in the battle for the minds of children and young people that is currently being fought on many fronts.
If anyone has been involved in consultations with their child’s school and/or come across resources of concern being used in schools then please do share your experiences as they may well be helpful to others then please contact us, in complete confidence, on enquiries@cvie.org.uk.
Government guidance on training teachers to teach RSHE curriculum
The Government has published Guidance for training teachers on how to deliver the RSHE curriculum. If you are interested in what teachers are being trained to teach your children in on relationships, sex and health education, click here.
The material has been prepared by “subject experts” to improve teacher knowledge and confidence when teaching this curriculum, and to help them to plan.
The new law requires that when schools are planning the curriculum, they must engage parents and carers, which should involve setting out the approach to the subjects fully and clearly. State-funded schools are reminded of the requirement under the Human Rights Act 1998 “to respect the right of parents to ensure education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions, and all schools should be mindful of their duties under the Equality Act 2010.”
The Guidance sets out ideas on how to run training sessions, including dealing with “difficult questions”.
Both primary and secondary training modules include basic first aid, being safe, changing adolescent body, drugs, alcohol and tobacco, families and people who care for me, health and prevention, healthy eating, Internet safety and harms, mental wellbeing, and physical health and fitness. The primary training module also includes caring friendships, online relationships, and respectful relationships, while the secondary training module includes intimate and sexual relationships (including sexual health), online and media, as well as respectful relationships (including friendships).
Government guidance on schools and COVID-19
The Government has published Guidance on what parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19. It offers questions and answers on back to school COVID testing in schools – click here for details. The information is for parents and carers of children in childcare (including nurseries and childminders), primary and secondary schools, and colleges.
Finally, do pray for:
- Parents and all those involved in the teaching of children and young people during these challenging times.
- Children and young people that they might be kept from wrong influences and over anxiety especially those faced with moving to new schools and going on to further and higher education.
- The CViE trustees and Tim (Wills) our Business and Development Manager as we seek the Lord’s will and direction in the responsibility that we have for the Charity and being a help and support to those involved in the education of children and young people.
