RSHE guidance

New RSHE Guidance: Promising first steps, but is this enough?

Getting their homework in just in the nick of time, the Department for Education published updated guidance for schools to help implement the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) statutory curriculum during what for many schools, was the last week of the academic year. This guidance has been long awaited. It follows a public consultation period, which took place over a year ago.

Is the new guidance any good?

Some really important steps have been made in acknowledging the need for comprehensive RSHE. It is great to see the inclusion of topics such as reducing stigma around STIs and a greater understanding of important reproductive topics, like fertility and period health. All of these get a specific mention in the new guidance. 

As a charity providing comprehensive and inclusive content from the RSHE curriculum, we’ve long included discussion of HIV PrEP and PEP (prevention medication) in our workshops on sexual and reproductive health. So it’s great to see them also included. We also welcome the specific mention of key issues like tackling online harms and sexual violence, such as coercive control and stalking. The updated guidance also specifically instructs schools to address misogynistic online cultures - citing the incel movement. (Here’s our free guide to tackling the incel movement)

We have long believed naming and challenging these harms is crucial to tackling gender-based and sexual violence. As well as covering these topics in our workshops, we also provide support and advice for schools and parents on these matters. 

So what are the concerns? 

We believe that it is possible to provide high-quality, open and honest education, within the terms of the updated RSHE guidelines. However, we have some serious misgivings about the tone and phrasing used in many parts of the guide. Particularly, we have concerns that such language has the potential to be interpreted in such a way as to harm some young people. 

A major fear is how the guidance frames discussions around LGBTQIA+ identities, particularly with regard to trans people. In fact, it largely avoids mention of the words ‘trans’ or ‘transgender’. This shows a general lack of commitment to affirming and supporting trans youth. 

There are also some transphobic dog whistles used, such as saying that schools ‘should not teach as fact that all people have a gender identity’. We believe that this has the potential to make educators reluctant to discuss gender identity at all, particularly around trans students. 

As a side note, we find a statement which amounts to ‘not all people have a gender identity’ a curious one to put in a government document. We say this as an organisation whose members include academics and educator-practitioners working in areas of gender study. The idea that all people in a society have some idea of what is meant by the term ‘gender’ and also have a sense of where they themselves sit in relation to this, is not a particularly deep or complex notion. To deny that gender identity - and by extension personal and societal concepts of gender - exist, is a curious thing. 

Another troubling statement made in the updated RSHE guidance insists that schools ‘should be mindful to avoid any suggestion that social transition is a simple solution to feelings of distress or discomfort.’ What is the purpose of this instruction? Is it to (incorrectly) imply that some educators were actively persuading students to socially transition in the past? Or is it to suggest that we should now be telling young people that the process of socially transitioning is a difficult one, unlikely to alleviate their feelings of distress or discomfort? As educators, we have a responsibility to give students factual and honest information, not to make value judgements about their lives, experiences or identities. 

There are other areas in the guidance, beyond trans identities, where the language used is problematic. For example, describing those who chose to continue an unplanned pregnancy as ‘keeping the baby’. This language is both factually incorrect (a foetus is not a baby) and also contributes to abortion stigma

Elsewhere in the guidance, schools are told that they must be careful not to ‘stigmatise boys’. The meaning of this is vague. Does this mean we shouldn’t ever imply that there are any negative aspects associated with masculinity? Because analysing and critiquing gender stereotypes and expectations is at the core of understanding sexual and other gender-based forms of violence. The statement also speaks to a reluctance in parts of the guidance to properly name and challenge some aspects of toxic masculinity in a clear and constructive manner.

We share the disappointment with others in the sector that the Department for Education has chosen to keep advice on tailoring RSHE content to students with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities). We know from our d/ Deaf education project that there is a huge appetite for knowledge and best practice around how to effectively deliver RSHE content to SEND students. It is disappointing that the government has chosen not to centre their needs. 

Perhaps in part, the problems of the new RSHE guidance lie with how it came about - through public consultation. We had concerns at the time of the consultation that not enough effort was made to include young people themselves in the process. This seems to show through in how the consultation ignores some of the realities and experiences of young people. 

Additionally, as we have explored above, several dubious views appear to have been incorporated into the new guidance. This seems to take no account for any potential negative impact of these views, or from what position they are held. We strongly believe that RSHE should be informed mainly by the voices, needs and experiences of young people themselves. We feel this should be supported by input from experts, through evidence-led research, practical experience and knowledge - including educators and parents or carers. In that light, it is interesting that the RSHE guidance was opened to public consultation in the first place. What did the Department for Education hope to gain from opening up the process to the general public, which it could not get from intentionally consulting with students, experts and carers specifically?  It was a different government, a different political party and a different Minister for Education who opened up this consultation in 2024. As such, they were not bound by it in the same way. It is curious then, to see what this government appears to have taken from the consultation - namely a lot of bias which does not ensure the dignity and respect of all students in an inclusive way, or consider young people’s voices. 

What now? 

The RSHE guidance will practically come into effect when the new academic year begins in September. We will continue to offer our high-quality workshops, as well as our training to staff delivering these aspects of the curriculum. 

We have a range of resources to support schools and colleges with RSHE provision, available for free. We also have some recommended reading for parents and carers who would like to know more about supporting young people in these areas. 

We would strongly encourage parents and carers to get in touch with their child’s school in the new academic year, particularly if they are concerned they may be negatively impacted on by some interpretations of the updated guidelines. Your voice can be really powerful in advocating how the RSHE curriculum is implemented in schools - something which is enshrined in the new guidance. 

Our hope is that together we can all work to empower young people and ensure they receive the inclusive and comprehensive RSHE that they deserve.

Shop With Purpose, Wear Your Allyship

Introducing Our New Store

At School of Sexuality Education, we’re committed to delivering inclusive, empowering education that safeguards and uplifts young people. 

Now, we’re excited to give you an opportunity to join the movement in a bold new way. 

Say hello to our brand-new merchandise store — a collection designed to celebrate inclusivity, promote allyship, and fund the work we do to protect and empower young people. 

You won’t find these products anywhere else; every print is exclusive to School of Sexuality Education.  

More Than Just Merch - It’s a Movement

This isn’t your average T-shirt or tote bag. When you shop our collection, you’re not just buying products; you’re making a statement and supporting our charity. 

You’re standing up for inclusivity, diversity, and equality. Every piece in our store has been thoughtfully created to spark conversation, inspire change, and show the world that you care.

You’re directly supporting our mission to safeguard young people, provide inclusive RSE (Relationships & Sex Education), and protect them from harm.

What You’ll Find in the Collection

Our products spark conversations and show the world you care, a daily reminder of your support for inclusion and accessible RSE.

Tees that speak volumes
Wear your values on your sleeve—literally. Our range of tops come in a variety of sizes, colours, and designs, all celebrating allyship and inclusivity.

Tote bags for everyday impact
Carry change wherever you go with our sturdy, stylish totes. Perfect for books, groceries, or your everyday essentials—and served with a side of social good.

Why It Matters

Every purchase you make funds our charities potentially life-changing work. Your support allows us to:

  • Deliver inclusive RSE programs that empower young people to make safe, informed choices.

  • Equip educators and communities with tools to protect and safeguard the next generation.

  • Create a world where young people of all identities feel seen, valued, and safe.

When you shop with us, you’re not just helping us achieve our mission—you’re showing the world you’re an ally who stands for inclusivity and change.

How You Can Get Involved - It’s easy to make an impact. 

  1. Shop the Collection: Browse our merch and find pieces that resonate with you.

  2. Share Your Support: Post a picture of your new merch and tag us on social media. Use #ShopWithPurpose and #InclusiveRSE to spread the word. 

  3. Inspire Others: Encourage friends, family, and colleagues to join the movement by shopping our collection and supporting the cause.

  4. Say it loud and proud: Something you want but can’t find it? Let us know! We are led by our communities, pop us a comment or message on social media, or email us with suggestions and ideas. 

Together, We Can Make a Difference

Your support means everything to us—and to the young people whose lives we’re working to protect and uplift. With your help, we’re creating a future where inclusivity is celebrated, education is empowering, and no young person is left behind.

Shop now and join a movement that’s changing lives. Together, we can make a difference—one T-shirt, tote bag, and mug at a time.

Thank you for standing with us, supporting our mission, and wearing your allyship with pride. 

Let’s make the world a safer, more inclusive place - together. 

Supporting Gender Non-Conforming Children & Young People: A practical guide

Guest blog by parent, Tara C-Y

“When my teachers talk to me about being non-binary, I feel like I belong. I help them to understand how I feel inside and when I help them, that means they can help me.”
— E, a KS2 pupil

Schools play a vital role in providing secure foundations for all children and young people to grow and flourish, and many schools do wonderful work with their pupils around inclusivity. But like most areas in life, there is always room to grow and explore inclusion further, particularly when considering the support needs of transgender or gender-non conforming pupils.

In our work delivering relationships and sexuality education in schools and universities across the UK, we have seen so much really great practice around supporting children and young people who are transgender or gender non-conforming (GNC). We’ve also heard from a number of educators and carers who really have young peoples’ best interests at heart, but are unsure or anxious about how to practically approach this issue. 

This is understandable, particularly given some of the sensationalist and harmful narratives used by some bad faith actors when discussing trans issues in the media or politics. This guide has been brought together to help professionals, parents and other caregivers to support GNC children and youth in a way that centres their needs. 

Gender non-conforming and transgender adolescents tend to suffer discrimination, stigmatisation and violence in schools, mostly from peers, but a lack of the correct support from teachers and caregivers can also result in trans and GNC young people feeling ostracised, affecting their performance at school (1). 

Case Study 1 

The situation

A non-binary student (Y10) was joining a trip with their school for History. They realised they would have to share dorms with the girls and that caused a lot of anxiety. 

The actions

Their mum spoke to the school to relay the impact of sharing dorms would have on the Y10 student. The school spoke to the parent and student to understand their needs and any particular concerns. They liaised with the accommodation for the trip to look at some options for the student - ensuring that other students were comfortable and all students were safe. 

THE RESULT

They managed to find a separate dorm for the student with their friends which they felt comfortable with, and liaised with their parents to ensure everyone was up to date and happy with the new format.

So, how can schools, parents, and caregivers offer correct and consistent support to enable transgender and GNC young people to thrive? There are a number of easy and practical steps that can be taken:

1) Respect the use of the young person’s pronouns: Always use the pronouns that they share with you and that they consent for you to share with others. If you make a mistake - acknowledge, apologise and move on.

When adults in positions of responsibility or within the family affirm the pronouns of the child or young person, this supports them to feel valued and accepted. Lots of well-meaning carers may have questions and concerns from the outset - but leading from a point of love, understanding and validation towards a young person is always a good place to start! Always be mindful that it is the choice of the young person as to when and how they share important aspects of their identity with the people around them. 

Although schools still have a responsibility to ensure that the legal name and sex of the pupil is recorded within the admissions register, as required by the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations (England) 2006, there is no legal reason for educational settings to refuse to affirm the pronouns of the young person. 

If you make a mistake with the young person’s pronoun, the best thing to do is apologise and move on. You can be a good ally by gently correcting colleagues if they get it wrong, too. 

2) Challenge transphobic bullying and gender stereotypes: Use the lived experience of GNC or trans children and young people to inform your work culture, classroom and community.

Research by Stonewall shows that only 8% of primary school teachers and 17% of secondary school teachers received specific training within school on tackling language that is transphobic or otherwise derogatory towards the LGBTQ+ community (2). 

You can help to change transphobic culture within an educational setting or within the community by challenging hateful speech wherever you hear it. Working with organisations like School of Sexuality Education to access training can support you to be confident to tackle harmful language, and to have honest conversations with colleagues or family members about how to educate others (3). 

If you work within an educational setting, you can involve colleagues in reviewing your anti-bullying policy and ensure that pupils learn about it in an age-appropriate way. You can also ask for the views and experiences of GNC pupils to ensure your policies are informed by lived experience. 

3) Uphold confidentiality: This is so important for building trust, and also to centre the rights of young people to be entitled to privacy to keep them safe. 

Make sure that you are a safe person for pupils and young people to speak to by respecting their right to confidentiality. You can only share information about a young person’s gender identity where there is a safeguarding risk, or if they have given their permission for specific details to be shared with peers or parents. Being LGBTQIA+ is never a safeguarding issue in and of itself.

Remember to have a conversation with the young person about confidentiality and what this means in your role. The need for confidentiality also means that you may need to use their legal name when discussing a situation with parents or caregivers – reassure the young person that you are doing this to protect their right to confidentiality, not to undermine their identity or gender expression. 

Ensure that if you need to discuss a GNC or transgender pupil’s gender identity that it is done within a private and confidential space. The ramifications of accidentally outing a GNC or transgender pupil can be far-reaching and detrimental. 

4) Share relevant resources: This can empower the child or young person to feel seen and heard. It can also go a long way to educate and tackle stigma around gender expression and identity. 

Children and young people feel validated and secure when they see role models that are similar to themselves. In the words of Dr Ronx, “you cannot be what you do not see”.

Dr Ronx (they/them) is a non-binary emergency doctor, as well as an author of children’s books and a television presenter on Operation Ouch - a BBC science and health programme for young people. Sharing and discussing their work with young people is another way you can highlight trans and non-binary role models.  

You can also support pupils to feel seen and included by sharing relevant literature within your RSHE lesson plans, and by including work around notable calendar events such as Pride or Trans Awareness Week.

If you are a parent or caregiver of a GNC child or young person, you can share awareness raising resources with staff in the educational setting or school. Whether you are a staff member or parent/caregiver, be open to having honest conversations with colleagues or other parents about the reality of being a GNC or trans young person in school, and how difficult this can be. 

5) Offer simple and accessible support, and be open-minded: Simple solutions are often all that’s needed for effective support.

Supporting GNC children and young people isn’t and shouldn’t be a tick-box exercise. It should be approached with sensitivity towards the young person, and also towards parents/caregivers. Support also doesn’t need to look ‘big’, sometimes just asking a simple “How can we help you?” can enable fruitful dialogue, such as within the below case study. 

Case Study 2

The situation

A student told their form tutor that they feel uncomfortable with their name, and would like everyone (teachers and students) to use their shorter name. 

The actions

Their form tutor asked the student if they are happy for them to speak to other teachers and students on their behalf. They also asked if their parents were aware. The student explained that their parents were aware but that their grandparents were not and they were anxious about speaking to them. The teacher asked if the student was happy for them to contact their parents to let them know of these changes and if there was anything they could do to support. 

The result

The student said they were happy with this. The school was able to work closely with the student and caregivers to make changes in the way that the student was called and talked about to ensure the student felt safe and included as much as possible.

A whole-school approach of normalising inclusion for GNC or transgender pupils can be a reality if the curriculum is used to develop positive attitudes towards challenging and dismantling harmful gender norms. 

Be open-minded, and try not to assume that there are no GNC children or young people within your school – it is very possible there are, so be mindful and strive for inclusion even if you are not aware of any openly GNC or transgender pupils. 

These are just a few ways to offer support to GNC or transgender children and young people, but there are many more. Remember that it takes a lot of courage for a GNC or transgender child or young person to live authentically as themselves, and even more courage to take the first step in discussing it. Modelling acceptance within the classroom and beyond, demonstrating a sensitive approach, and validating a young person’s gender identity or gender expression will ultimately support them to be happier within their educational setting. 

Over the last few years there has been a media and political spotlight aimed at the rights of children and young people who are transgender or gender non-conforming (GNC). And more recently in May 2024, former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak released draft Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance plans to effectively ban discussion around gender and gender identity within RSHE (4). 

Although schools can have a degree of flexibility in what they teach within their RSHE lessons, all primary schools must teach relationship education, and secondary schools relationship and sex education (5). The Equality Act 2010 places specific requirements upon local authorities and schools to prevent unlawful discrimination. The protected characteristics of disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation still apply in relation to children and young people in schools as they do in adult settings (6).

Despite some unnecessary politically motivated alarmism, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) have clearly stated that there is no evidence to suggest that teaching pupils about gender diversity or related topics within RHSE has led to widespread issues of ‘indoctrination’(7). Furthermore, research shows that supporting gender non-conforming young people within school settings helps to foster feelings of inclusion, and reduces the need for trans and GNC pupils to have to ask for support (8). 

Simple acts of support, such as the practical steps outlined within this guide, will support GNC and transgender young people to develop a secure sense of self and emotional wellbeing that will enable them to thrive within their peer groups and in wider society.

School of Sexuality Education works to support parents and caregivers in showing up for and centering young peoples’ rights, including specifically around GNC issues. You can contact us at info@schoolofsexed.org if you would like to book training to support students.  

References

  1. Horton, C. (2022). Institutional cisnormativity and educational injustice: Trans children's experiences in primary and early secondary education in the UK: https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjep.12540 

  2. An Introduction To Supporting LGBTQ+ Children And Young People: A guide for schools, colleges and settings: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/sites/default/files/final_-_an_intro_to_supporting_lgbt_young_people_-_april2022.pdf 

  3. School of Sexuality Education. Workplace Training: schoolofsexed.org/workplace-training 

  4. Plan to ban gender identity discussion in schools branded ‘new Section 28’: https://www.thepinknews.com/2024/05/15/sex-education-guidance-trans-gender-schools/

  5. Plan your relationships, sex and health curriculum: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-your-relationships-sex-and-health-curriculum 

  6. The Equality Act 2010 For Schools: https://equaliteach.co.uk/downloads/The-Equality-Act-for-Schools-2010.pdf 

  7. Sex education review announced after MPs raise concerns: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64892868 

  8. Horton, C. (2022). Institutional cisnormativity and educational injustice: Trans children's experiences in primary and early secondary education in the UK: https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjep.12540