Resources for primary schools
Check out the bare facts: boys and Check out the bare facts: girls These puberty leaflets aimed at upper KS2 are for use in supporting sex education lessons. They cover body changes, spots, periods, erections, etc.
QCDA PSHE key stages 1 and 2 SRE scheme of work
Unit 1 Special people
Unit 4 Support networks
Unit 5 How the body works and changes in puberty
Birth, care and growth, BBC Educational Publishing, 1999, ISBN: 0563465077. This video has three programmes for KS1 pupils that explore what it means to grow up. There is an accompanying forty-page teacher book with activity sheets and posters.
Growing up, BBC Educational Publishing, 1999, ISBN: 0563465484. This video for upper primary children looks at physical changes and emotions during puberty and changing relationships with family, friends and peers. There is an accompanying resource pack.
It's different for me: a resource for Key Stage 2 SRE supporting the literacy hour Classroom texts, teacher's guide, CD and website. The guide provides more than fifty ideas for literacy work and includes SRE issues for discussion.
Laying the foundations: SRE in primary schools, Martinez, Anna and Cooper, Vanessa, NCB, 2006. This is the best resource available to support primary SRE; it covers every area you’ll need to know about. Highly recommended.
Living and Growing, Channel 4 Learning, 1999, ISBN: 1862155151, 186215516X, 1862156824. This series of three videos with accompanying workbooks provides the basis for an SRE programme for Key Stages 1 and 2. The videos use a mixture of animation, child presenters and ‘experts’ in an accessible and entertaining way to cover the biological aspects of primary SRE education as well as providing opportunities to build self-esteem, to value difference, to develop positive relationships and discuss key issues. The videos are explicit in places and opportunities should be provided for teacher training about the issues raised. The workbooks provide useful support materials that can be adapted as appropriate. There is also a video for teachers, parents, and carers called Primary Sex Education. As usual, parents should be involved in discussions about the programme including use of this video.
Personal, social, health and economic education, primary phase: scheme of work, Lancashire County Council, Learning Excellence, 2008
R Time to support SEAL, Sampson, Greg. Contains 168 R Time and extension activities matched to the seven SEAL themes. For all ages from nursery to Year 6.
Rollercoaster: a game exploring the ups and downs of puberty, Centre for HIV and Sexual Health, Sheffield, 2001. Resource pack offering a fun series of exercises looking at the issues around puberty for Years 5 to 8.
Sex and relationship education, BBC Whiteboard Active series, BBC, 2008. This resource uses BBC video along with pictures, audio clips, discussion prompts and interactivity to help children learn, think and talk about sex and relationships.
Sex and relationships education: a step-by-step guide for teachers, Blake, S. 2002. Draws together the best available practice to support teachers in developing policy and classroom practice.
Something else, Cave, K. and Riddle, C., Puffin Books, 1995. Can be used in primary PSHE to look at differences and friendships.
Talking with children about illness and HIV, Children With AIDS Charity. Explains clearly and sensitively why talking with children about HIV and illness is important and provides examples of questions children and young people have, together with ways of answering them.
PSHE strategies and skills (series editor Hilary Dixon). A series of books for teachers containing guidance and a range of activities. Includes “Active Learning”; “Body Image”; “Family, Friends and Relationships”, Me and Us Limited, 2007.
Good As You: supporting schools to tackle homophobic bullying and gay issues An INSET package on CD ROM to support schools wishing to address gay issues, tackle name-calling and homophobic bullying. Lancashire County Council.
All Change Girls and All Change Boys. Simple leaflets about puberty from the Centre for HIV and sexual health.
Growing up and Keeping Safe, Sense Interactive. CD for Key Stage 2, designed to promote development of effective work in PSHE under the 5 headings of the Every Child Matters outcomes. Lots to do and explore and will provide much material for PSHE lessons over the key stage including work on SRE.
Books for the school library
Read these with primary pupils or loan them to parents
This is just a small selection of the titles available. Large bookshops often have a good range and these can be chosen to suit the needs of the pupils and parents at individual schools.
Billy and the baby, Bradman, T. and Breeze, L., Harper Collins, 1997. A good book to use to look at family changes when a new sibling appears and as an introduction to where babies come from.
Hair in funny places, Cole, Babette, 2001. A wise teddy bear called Ted provides information to a girl who wants to know when she will be grown up. In picture book format this book crosses the divide between a book for the young and informative light relief for the older child. Suitable for age 6 and over.
How did I begin? Manning, M. and Granstrom, B., Franklin Watts, 1997, ISBN: 0749624213. This is a warm friendly introduction to the facts of life for young children.
Let’s talk about where babies come from, Harris H. R. and Emberley, M., Walker Books, 1999, ISBN: 0744540844. Approved by the fpa, this book answers the many questions most children have about babies, bodies, love, sex and reproduction. Suitable for ages 8 to 12.
Let’s grow with Nisha and Joe, fpa 2008. Let’s grow with Nisha and Joe is a colourful, twelve-page comic which introduces 6–7 year-olds to the idea of identity, and physical and emotional development. It is designed to help teachers and parents/carers talk with children about growing up, and to help them understand the differences between girls’ and boys’ bodies in a relaxed and fun way. Topics covered include naming the main parts of the body, the differences between boys’ and girls’ bodies, the importance of family and friends, caring for each other and keeping safe.
Let's talk about sex: growing up, changing bodies, sex and sexual health, Harris, Robie H. and Emberley, Michael, Walker Books, 2004, ISBN: 9781844281749. Approved by the fpa, this book is illustrated throughout with witty but always accurate cartoons. It tells pre-teens what they need to know about sex. Suitable for ages 10 to 14.
Mummy Laid an Egg! Cole, B., Random House, Red Fox Edition, 1998, ISBN: 099299119. An amusing tale with children explaining the facts of life to their parents.
Where did I come from? A first look at sex education, Llewellyn, C. and Gordon, M., Wayland Publishers, 1998, ISBN: 0750223332. This book tells young children how they were made and how parents prepare for and look after a newborn baby.
Where Willy went: the big story of a little sperm, Allan, N., Hutchinson, 2004, ISBN: 9780091892951. Willy is a sperm. He lives inside Mr. Brown. The trouble is, Willy is one of 300 million sperm and they all want the same prize: an egg. The egg is inside Mrs Brown; to get it, he must win a race against the other 299 million sperm. Join Willy on his quest for the ultimate prize and find out where he went. Funny, warm, endearing and totally non-threatening, this small masterpiece from Nicholas Allan presents the facts of life to young children in a unique but totally accessible way. It is a godsend for any parent faced with awkward questions.
Wise guides: periods Owen, C., Hodder Children’s Books, 1995 ISBN: 0340636041. This guide is informative and easy to read. Other titles in the Wise guides series include Drugs and Sex.
There are more resources on the Me-and-Us SRE resources site (check for the most up-to-date ones).
