Why is that conversation necessary?

School is not only the place where students learn subject matter. It is also where they meet peers and become acquainted with society. They learn how they are – literally and figuratively – put together, and that this is different for others. They learn to recognise their wishes and boundaries. They discover that there are differences in identities, norms, values and ways of interacting. School is therefore, as it were, a ‘practice ground’ for students, a concept that is also included in the Dutch Act on Citizenship Education.

On this practice ground, students can learn to interact with others with sexual integrity. This contributes to social safety at school. And in a safe, positive school, students can develop fully. They are given room to discover where boundaries lie, to make mistakes, to learn to take responsibility and to be held accountable for it.

Interesting and challenging

As a teacher, you play an important role in this. During lessons on relationships and sexuality and in situations in the classroom or at school. Moments like these, in which sexuality or gender play a role, are interesting, but sometimes also challenging. These are personal topics, which can sometimes be charged by strongly held, explicit or implicit norms and values. In addition, you are not only dealing with yourself, but also with the school's vision and policies; you are part of a team and you have to deal with parents. That is why working on sexual integrity requires professional pedagogical expertise. The new e-learning course can help you further develop your skills in this area.

Eight modules

The e-learning course by School & Veiligheid and Rutgers interactively covers many aspects that you may encounter at school. There are eight modules:

  • Teaching about relationships & sexuality;
  • Sexual integrity and a safe atmosphere;
  • Dealing with differences;
  • Sexual development;
  • Sexually transgressive behaviour;
  • Subject-specific knowledge;
  • Contact with parents;
  • Working on relationships & sexuality across the school.

Each module takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes. The e-learning course is free and available in Rutgers' Learning Portal.

There are separate e-learning courses for primary and secondary education:

Incentive scheme

The e-learning courses were developed as part of the Healthy Relationships & Sexuality Incentive Scheme. Attention to social safety around relationships and sexuality is important from an early age. Both at home and at school. Through the Incentive Scheme, the government supports schools in embedding the topic in school policy and education. School & Veiligheid is involved in a number of sub-projects.