Thank you for contacting me about Relationships and Sex Education (RSE).
We all want our children to grow up into happy and well-rounded individuals who know how to deal with the challenges of the modern world. To help achieve this, Relationships Education is compulsory in all primary schools in England, and Relationships and Sex Education is compulsory in all secondary schools. Health Education is also compulsory in all state-funded schools.
High-quality relationship and sex education is incredibly important and these subjects are designed to ensure pupils are taught the knowledge and life skills they will need to stay safe, build confidence and resilience, as well as develop healthy and supportive relationships. Under the updated guidance published in 2021, teachers are required to talk to primary school pupils in an age-appropriate way about the features of healthy friendships, family relationships and other relationships they may encounter.
At secondary school, teachers should build on this foundation and, at an appropriate time, extend teaching to include intimate relationships. Health education is ensuring pupils are being taught about the benefits of healthy eating, exercise and keeping fit, as well as developing qualities such as resilience, self-respect, mental wellbeing and manners. Importantly, it also teaches children and young people how to recognise when they and others are struggling with mental health.
Following reports of inappropriate sex education lessons in schools, the Prime Minister has launched a review of sex education guidance to make sure schools are not teaching content that is inappropriate, and to ensure that schools make content available to parents if requested. Schools should already make curriculum content and materials available to parents on request and engage proactively with parents on how they are teaching sensitive issues. The Government is clear that schools should also only use resources that do not compromise their political impartiality or present contested views in an unbalanced way. The Government is also clear that materials used must be factual and age appropriate.
Thank you again for contacting me.