Sex education to become mandatory in all secondary schools by 2019

All secondary schools will soon be required to teach relationships and sex education (RSE) by as soon as 2019.

Amendments have been scheduled to be made to the Children and Social Work Bill to make RSE mandatory in secondary schools.

The changes will also require the subject of personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) to be taught in all schools in England

This also includes primary and secondary education in both maintained and academy institutions.

At the moment, only pupils attending local-authority run secondary schools, which represents around a third, are guaranteed to be offered RSE and PSHE is only a requirement in independent schools. Both are not mandatory in academies.

The proposals will potentially see the new subject of relationships education introduced in primary schools and will focus on building healthy relationships and staying safe.

As children move onto secondary school they will be taught healthy adult relationships in more depth, with sex education.

Since statutory guidance for RSE was introduced in 2000, it has become increasingly outdated. Twenty-first century issues such as online pornography, sexting and staying safe online have not been addressed in education.

Therefore, the government is planning to introduce a new internet safety green paper later in the year, to advise how to make the internet a safer place for young people.

A comprehensive programme of engagement by the Department for Education will also be rolled out to set out age-appropriate RSE content.

The content will focus on consent, resilience, age-appropriate relationships and sex education, and keeping safe online.

Regulations and statutory guidance will be put to a full public consultation in the year.

Children are expected to be taught the new curriculum by September 2019.

However, the amendments will continue to allow parents a right to withdraw children from sex education and schools will be required to publish a clear statement of their policy and what will be taught in order for parents to make informed decisions.

Schools will have flexibility over how they deliver these subjects, so they can develop an “integrated approach” that is sensitive to the needs of the local community.

For example, in the case of faith schools to ensure that the education is in accordance with their faith.

Education secretary, Justine Greening, said: “RSE and PSHE teach children and young people how to stay safe and healthy, and how to negotiate some of the personal and social challenges they will face growing up as adults.

“These subjects form part of the building blocks young people need to thrive in modern Britain.”

She went on to say that “too many young people feel they don’t have the RSE they need to stay safe and navigate becoming an adult”.