Shortly before calling a snap election, the government announced a proposed change to the guidance on how relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) is taught in schools. The proposal is deeply concerning - disempowering young people and introducing potentially harmful restrictions on discussing certain topics, all whilst failing to provide good evidence for these changes. There are concerns about them being implemented - and we are asking everyone who cares about inclusive, good-quality RSHE to act to protect it.
As many other experts in the sector have said - the draft guidance is not fit for purpose.
Below is our full response and guidance on responding to the draft consultation.
On 16th May 2024 the government opened a public consultation on a draft guidance for schools around statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). In the UK we have a long history of sex education in schools being used as an opportunity for political gain, rather than as a tool to support and empower young people. Many thought this was exactly what was happening here - and a backlash followed. Figures in the sector branded the proposed guidance as “irresponsible” and accused prime minister Rishi Sunak of using children as a “political football”(1).
Days later, a snap election was called - resulting in reduced attention to the issue as the country and its press went into election mode.
But why are expert organisations such as School of Sexuality Education concerned about the proposed changes to the RSHE guidance? And have the associated problems gone away with the prospect of a new government? We think not. Here, we highlight some of our concerns about the proposed guidance and why we all need to act to protect good RSE - even though there's been a change of government following the recent election.
As a charity providing award-winning relationships and sexuality education (RSE), we know that good provision in this area can be simply transformative to young peoples’ lives. Currently, schools must teach their students about a range of RSE topics - from fertility and contraception and what healthy relationships look like, to an awareness of the impact of pornography and violence against women and girls. This learning is supported by the current statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) curriculum guidance (2), published by the Department for Education (DfE) in 2019.
We will always continue to push for better and improved RSHE, which centres young peoples’ needs and voices. But broadly speaking this approach is having a positive impact. The Sex Education Forum’s Young Peoples’ Poll 2024 showed that 50% described their RSE as ‘good’ or ‘very good’ - an increase from 41% in 2019 (3).
Sex education in schools has long been a highly politicised topic in the UK. In the 1980s, in the face of growing support for the gay rights movement, the Conservative government went so far as to introduce into law Section 28, a piece of legislation which said that schools must not ‘promote the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship’(4). Section 28 was not fully repealed until 2003 and many LGBTQIA+ folks credit its influence as having negatively impacted their experiences of school and RSE (4).
It is perhaps surprising then that when the RSHE curriculum was made mandatory in 2017, it had overwhelming cross-party support (5). However, with the input and support of youth, education and health experts it did indeed. Schools and others in the RSE sector have been using it as the basis for providing high quality, evidence-based and inclusive RSE since the current guidance was rolled out in 2020.
However, the draft RSHE guidance shows a significant change in the approach to RSHE - although perhaps does not come as a surprise to those of us who have noted the rise of anti-rights rhetoric and the way that LGBTQIA+ folks have been targeted by it (6).
So what are the problems with the proposed RSHE guidance changes? Well, there’s an awful lot to be alarmed by in the 47 pages of the draft guidance (7). But we have three particular major concerns:
1) Firstly, the draft guidance frames RSHE in a way which is extremely patronising to young people and disempowering of their rights. It fails to recognise the potential of good RSE to transform, as well as the rights of young people to knowledge around their lives and bodies, RSHE is framed as a potentially corrupting or dangerous influence. The words ‘sensitive’ or ‘contested’ are used to refer to a range of RSHE topics - from sexual violence and gender identity to mental health issues (7). Whilst we would advocate for ‘sensitivity’ in dealing with all RSHE topics, this refers to how topics are approached, rather than the topics themselves. From our experience of delivering RSE in schools, we know that if supported correctly, it is possible for young people to have extremely nuanced and productive discussions around these issues.
2) Our second major concern involves the proposed censoring of some RSHE topics. One example is a total prohibition of anything around ‘gender identity’, which it describes as a ‘contested topic’ (7). Many have pointed out that the language used around this is eerily reminiscent of the spirit of Section 28 (8).
This approach is also in contradiction to that of organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) which take time to define gender identity and link the importance of this concept to understanding related phenomena such as gender-based violence and health and mental-health inequalities (10).
We further recognise this tactic as transphobic - in that it seeks to undermine trans identities and to further isolate trans and gender diverse youth from seeking support within schools. United Nations (UN) Women recognises the rise in such approaches, labelling them as ‘anti-rights’ (6). It is therefore disheartening to learn that Keir Starmer, the new Prime Minister, appears to have bought into this harmful rhetoric. During a visit to a school on the election campaign trail, he is quoted as saying he was ‘not in favour’ of ideology around gender being taught in schools (10).
Age restrictions are a further area of concern in proposed content censorship. The draft RSHE guidance stipulates that some topics must not be discussed until students reach specific age groups. Areas where proposed age restrictions apply include: banning discussion of puberty until year 7 (ages 11-12 years), despite the fact that fact that pubertal changes can start before this age (11); restricting discussions around the harms of pornography until year 7, despite evidence that 1 in 10 nine year olds have watched pornography (12); and a ban on teaching about STIs and FGM until year 9 (ages 13-14 years), even though students in this age range will have already been offered the vaccine against the STI Human Papilloma Virus (11) and that previous government guidance on FGM includes case studies of FGM lessons with year 4-6 students (13).
There are several other examples of ‘age restricted’ topics in the draft RSHE guidance, on topics from sexual violence to online harms such as fraud, or suicide (2).
Whilst there are some topics that it may generally be best to avoid with younger students, it is really important that those supporting young people understand and respond appropriately to their contextual needs. If issues like sexual violence or suicide form part of a young person’s lived experience, it is very important that conversations around them are not closed down or shrouded in shame and taboo.
3) Our third major concern can be characterised by the lack of good quality evidence to support or justify changes to the RSHE guidance. The press release announcing the consultation uses the language of ‘parental rights’ and ‘protecting children’ (14). Just one source is cited - in relation to the proposed ban on ‘gender ideology’. The report mentioned is a controversial one, which has roundly received heavy criticism from trans youth advocacy groups (15).
No specific evidence is put forward to recommended age-restrictions (2). The draft RSHE guidance merely explains,
‘Age limits are focused on topics which, even when presented in a careful and well-intentioned way, may inadvertently give the message to young people that they could or should be engaging in or exploring adult activities rather than enjoying childhood.’ (2)
The message is clear - these age restrictions have been suggested on the feelings of those writing the report of what is or isn’t appropriate. This, despite the concerns that we and others in the sector have voiced about these age-restrictions and evidence that suggests they are inadequate - as discussed earlier (11).
It is crucial to understand the needs of young people in order to provide them with good quality RSHE. If you listen to our youth it is clear that they want access to more, not less, open and honest information - which responds to their actual needs in an informed way and empowers them. As one respondent to the Young People's RSE Poll 2024 put it,
‘Some stuff I had to learn on my own because I knew about it before sex education was taught [...] nowadays young children are becoming more aware so they should know sooner.’ (3)
We and many other RSHE experts are keen to work with the new government to help realise a vision of youth-centred and empowering RSHE.
You can respond to the consultation here until the 11 July 2024.
Further information
EVAW’s guide for responding to the Relationships, Sex and Health Education consultation.
Sex Education Forum’s guide to the RSHE consultation.
Amnesty International UK’s response to the draft RSHE guidance.
References
Independent, ‘Backlash over Sunak’s ‘irresponsible’ plans to ban sex education for children under 9.’ (15th May 2024)
Department for Education, ‘Statutory guidance on relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education.’ (25th June, 2019)
Sex Education Forum, ‘Young people’s RSE poll 2024’. (11th April 2024)
BBC Three, ‘Section 28: What was it and how did it affect LGBT+ people’. (1st November 2019)
Sex Education Forum, ‘Busting the myths about RSE’. (23 August 2023)
UN Women, ‘LGBTQI+ communities and the anti-rights pushback: 5 things to know.’ (28 May 2024).
Department for Education, ‘Draft Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education’. (16 May 2024).
Pink News, ‘Plan to ban discussion of gender identity in schools branded ‘new section 28’.’ (15th May 2024).
World Health Organisation, ‘Gender and Health’. [accessed online 25th June 2024].
Independent, ‘Starmer ‘not in favour’ of gender ideology being taught in schools’. (25th June 2024).
Sex Education Forum, ‘What the draft Government RSHE guidance means and what next’. (20 May 2024).
Children’s Commissioner, ‘A lot of it is actually just abuse - Young People and Pornography’. (31 January 2023).
HM Government, ‘Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation’. (July 2020).
Gov.UK. ‘Age limits introduced to protect children in RSHE’. (16 May 2024)
Mermaids. ‘Mermaids’ response to the Cass review - In Depth’. (25 April 2024).