Relationships and health education: new requirements from 2020

Draft statutory guidance on relationships, sex and health education has now been published following a 12-week consultation.

From September 2020, primary schools (including all-through and middle schools) will need to provide:

• Relationships education
• Health education

The changes will also affect secondary schools, detailing more on topics like staying safe online and sexual relationships and sexual health. 

The government wants pupils to leave school prepared, in the widest sense, for adult life. The content of the regulations and guidance should reflect an effective balance between ensuring that children are taught the knowledge they require to thrive in a modern world, and ensuring that schools have flexibility to design and plan subject content within the wider curriculum in subjects such as Citizenship, Science, PE and Computing to meet the needs of their pupils.

To summarise, at primary level, pupils should learn about subjects including families, friendships and online relationships. At secondary level, topics will be built on from primary and include sexual relationships and sexual health.

Some of the proposals also include lessons on sexting, female genital mutilation (FGM) and mental health.