The Health Education and Relationships Education aspects of PSHE (personal, social, health and economic) education are now compulsory in all primary schools in addition to secondary schools.
The Department for Education Education Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk), outlines what schools must cover.
Key Stage 2
Relationship Education (Primary Education)
The focus in primary school should be on teaching the fundamental building blocks and characteristics of positive relationships, with particular reference to friendships, family relationships, and relationships with other children and with adults. (DfE Statutory Guidance)
Pupils will cover the following topics at Key Stage 2 in relationship education:
- Families and people who care for me
- Caring friendships
- Respectful relationships
- Online Relationships
- Being safe
Sex Education (Primary Education)
Sex Education is non-compulsory, and parents may withdraw their children from sex education lessons as part of the primary PSHE curriculum.
The national curriculum for science also includes subject content in related areas, such as the main external body parts, the human body as it grows from birth to old age (including puberty) and reproduction in some plants and animals. It will be for primary schools to determine whether they need to cover any additional content on sex education to meet the needs of their pupils. Many primary schools already choose to teach some aspects of sex education and will continue to do so, although it is not a requirement.
Physical health and mental wellbeing Education (Primary Education)
The aim of teaching pupils about physical health and mental wellbeing is to give them the information that they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing. It should enable them to recognise what is normal and what is an issue in themselves and others and, when issues arise, know how to seek support as early as possible from appropriate sources. (DfE Statutory Guidance)
Pupils will cover the following topics at Key Stage 2 in physical health and mental wellbeing education:
- Mental wellbeing
- Internet safety and harms
- Physical health and fitness
- Healthy eating
- Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
- Health and prevention
- Basic first aid
- Changing adolescent body
Key Stage 3 and 4
Relationship and Sex Education (Secondary Education)
The aim of RSE is to give young people the information they need to help them develop healthy, nurturing relationships of all kinds, not just intimate relationships. It should enable them to know what a healthy relationship looks like and what makes a good friend, a good colleague and a successful marriage or other type of committed relationship. It should also cover contraception, developing intimate relationships and resisting pressure to have sex (and not applying pressure). It should teach what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in relationships. This will help pupils understand the positive effects that good relationships have on their mental wellbeing, identify when relationships are not right and understand how such situations can be managed. (DfE Statutory Guidance)
Pupils will cover the following topics at Key Stage 3 and 4 in relationship and sex education:
- Families
- Respectful relationships including friendships
- Online and media
- Being safe
- Intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health
- The law
Physical Health and mental wellbeing Education (Secondary Education)
The aim of teaching pupils about physical health and mental wellbeing is to give them the information that they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing. It should enable them to recognise what is normal and what is an issue in themselves and others and, when issues arise, know how to seek support as early as possible from appropriate sources. (DfE statutory guidance)
Pupils will cover the following topics at Key Stage 3 and 4 in physical health and wellbeing education:
- Internet safety and harms
- Physical health and fitness
- Healthy eating
- Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
- Health and prevention
- Basic first aid
- Changing adolescent body
Pupils with SEND
Pupils with SEND will be supported through our PD+ which supports the teaching of RSE through additional sessions in nurture groups, Kind Minds and one to one sessions. Where appropriate, external agencies may contribute to supporting the teaching of RSE to pupils with SEND.
Parents will continue to have a right to request to withdraw their child from sex education delivered as part of RSE in secondary schools which, unless there are exceptional circumstances, should be granted up to three terms before their child turns 16. At this point, if the child themselves wishes to receive sex education rather than be withdrawn, the school should make arrangements for this to happen in one of the three terms before the child turns 16 - the legal age of sexual consent.
There is no right to withdraw from Relationship or Health Education at primary or secondary as we believe the contents of these subjects – such as family, friendship, safety (including online safety) – are important for all children to be taught.
For more information: Relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education: FAQs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)