New RSHE guidance released – consultation open

Last week, new RSHE guidance was released and CViE encourages our supporters to respond to the government’s request for the views of parents, schools and others before the guidance is finalised. You can find the guidance here.  (the consultation closes on July 11, 2024)

Following reports of pupils being taught inappropriate content in RSHE, and after an outcry from the public and upon the urging of members of his own party, the Prime Minister  announced this review of the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum late in 2023.

RSHE is a subject taught at both primary and secondary school.  In 2020, RSHE was made compulsory for all secondary school pupils in England and Health Education compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools.

What is in the updated curriculum?

• age limits, to ensure children aren’t being taught about sensitive and complex subjects before they are ready to fully understand them.  
• the concept of gender identity – the sense a person may have of their own gender, whether male, female or a number of other categories  – is highly contested and should not be taught. Teachers should not use materials claiming as fact that “gender is a spectrum”, and if asked about the issue, they should teach the facts about “biological sex”.
• transparency with parents, making it absolutely clear that parents have a legal right to know what their children are being taught in RSHE and can request to see teaching materials.
• in primary school, subjects such as the risks about online gaming, social media and scams should not be taught before year 3. 
• puberty shouldn’t be taught before year 4, and sex education shouldn’t be taught before year 5.
• sexual harassment shouldn’t be dealt with before year 7, direct references to suicide before year 8 and explicit discussion of sexual activity before year 9.
• older pupils should know the law about the age of consent, and that they should not be pressured into sex, that “many young people wait until they are older”, and that it is possible to enjoy romantic relationships without sex.
• older pupils would be taught about contraceptives, as well as “choices in relation to pregnancy”, to include abortion, “keeping the baby” and “adoption”.

The facts about biological sex and gender reassignment will still be taught. The consultation also invites views on if and how to include topics such as suicide prevention, sexual harassment, sexual violence, loneliness, the prevalence of ‘deepfakes’, healthy behaviours during pregnancy, illegal online behaviours, drug and knife supply, the dangers of vaping, menstrual and gynaecological health.

Following the consultation, the guidance will be statutory, which means schools must follow it unless there are exceptional circumstances.  Parents still have the right to withdraw their child from sex education, but not from the essential content covered in relationships education.

CViE is pleased for the acknowledgment that parents are “the first educators of their children, and schools should make sure parents are aware of what is being taught in RSHE”. It says schools “should, at minimum, provide parents with a representative sample of the resources that they plan to use”, adding that they should also “ensure that parents are able to view all curriculum materials used to teach RSHE on request”.

Parents will retain an automatic right of withdrawal from sex education in primary school, and headteachers can only refuse it “in exceptional circumstances” in secondary school, unless the child is 15 years of age and opts back in themselves.

While parents will not have any right of withdrawal from Relationships Education, the new guidance states that the subject “should not include topics which involve explaining different forms of sexual activity”.

Writing in The Sun, Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “The Cass Review hammered home that progressive ideology must never be allowed to take precedence over the need to protect children from things that they are too young to understand. That is why the guidance we are publishing today will leave no room for doubt, making totally clear that teachers should not teach about the contested issue of gender identity. Teachers are there to teach children facts, not to push the agendas of campaign groups.”

The Christian Institute’s Head of Education John Denning said the guidance was “a significant step forward”.

You may also be interested in:

Education Secretary’s letter to parents: You have the right to see RSHE lesson material

Sex education: What is RSHE and can parents access curriculum materials?

What do children and young people learn in relationship, sex and health education

You can respond to the consultation here.