New free Relationship, Sex and Health Education materials launched

Goodness and Mercy, the new website and resources aimed primarily at Church of England Schools, is launching this week.

The resources seek to help children and young people to understand and abound in goodness and mercy; in their relationship with themselves, with others and with intimate partners. It offers an approach rooted in a distinctively Christian vision for human relationships.

It is named “Goodness and Mercy” from the last line of the well-loved 23rd Psalm: “Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever”. The gifts of Goodness and Mercy are those that we hope will follow all our pupils all the days of their lives and will bring joy, peace and comfort.

Katy Staples, Schools Advisor for the Diocese of Bristol, said,

“Having taught Relationships and Sex Education throughout my 23 years of teaching I was never content that I had got it right or plumbed any meaningful depths. At their best relationships are a spiritual honouring of our sacred self and a building up of the ultimate worth of others, as well as giving us great laughs. “Goodness and Mercy” is my attempt to provide teachers with the materials I wished I’d had.”

This resource is free to access and is targeted at teachers, headteachers and governors of primarily CofE Schools. On the website, you can access guidance on how to use the resource, depending on whether you have existing materials or are starting fresh.

Editors notes:

  • The resources are written to meet both the mandatory requirements of the 2020 DFE Guidance for RSHE and the CEEO (Church of England Education Office) Charter, and SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) expectations.
  • Katy Staples is the schools advisor for the Diocese of Bristol and the author of Goodness and Mercy. Katy is also the author of Valuing All God’s Children (2017) – guidance for Anglican schools for countering homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying. She also co-wrote Love and Sex Matters (2011) – a series of materials for Church of England schools to support relationships and sex education.
First published 16th July 2020
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