Relationships, Sex and Health Education: The UK Curriculum by Country

Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Curriculum by Country

Most schools are required to teach at least some relationships, sex and health education.

The exact requirements vary depending on the type of school and what part of the UK it’s in. The quality and scope of what’s taught can vary widely between schools.

The FPA supports statutory ‘high quality’ RSHE in all schools. Evidence shows that it benefits children and young people in lots of different ways. Also see sex education benefits and statistics.

England: Primary schools

England: Primary schools: Relationships Education

Relationships education is compulsory (must be taught) in all primary schools.

The Department for Education publishes statutory guidance on relationships education setting out the minimum that schools must teach.

Relationships education is taught in an appropriate way for children’s age and developmental stage. The content areas covered are:

  • families and people who care for me
  • caring friendships
  • respectful relationships
  • online relationships
  • being safe

Primary schools must have a relationships education policy freely available. Parents must be consulted whenever the policy is renewed.

England: Primary schools: Health Education

Health education is compulsory in all primary schools except independent schools. Independent schools must teach personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education and the Department for Education advises that schools may find health education guidance “helpful in planning an age-appropriate curriculum.”

The Department for Education publishes statutory guidance on health education setting out the minimum that schools must teach.

Health education focuses on physical health and mental wellbeing and covers the following content areas:

  • puberty, including physical and emotional changes, the menstrual cycle, and starting periods
  • mental wellbeing, including emotions
  • internet safety and harms
  • physical health and fitness
  • healthy eating
  • drugs, alcohol and tobacco, including facts and risks
  • health and prevention, including sleep, sun safety and healthy teeth
    first aid

Many schools will have a health education or PSHE education policy in place, but this isn’t a requirement.

England Flag

England: Primary Schools: Sex Education

Sex education is not compulsory in primary schools, but the Department for Education recommends that all primary schools teach it. It should be “tailored to the age, physical and emotional maturity of their pupils.”

Some aspects of sex education are part of the national curriculum for science. This includes:

  • external body parts
  • the human body as it grows from birth to old age (including puberty)
  • reproduction in some plants and animals

The national curriculum is not compulsory in all types of primary schools. Schools that don’t follow the national curriculum must teach a broad and balanced curriculum.

If schools choose to teach sex education, this might include:

  • changes that happen during puberty
  • how a baby is conceived and born

Note that schools that teach sex education must have a relationships and sex education policy.

Parents and carers cannot withdraw their child from relationships education, health education or sex education that is part of the science curriculum.

Parents and carers can choose to withdraw their child from any additional sex education.

Also see our parents guide to relationships and sex education in primary school.

England: Secondary schools

England: Secondary schools: Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)

RSE is compulsory (must be taught) in all secondary schools.

The Department for Education publishes statutory guidance on RSE setting out the minimum that schools must teach.

RSE builds on what is taught in relationships education in primary school. The content areas covered are:

  • families
  • respectful relationships, including friendships
  • online and media
  • being safe
  • intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health

The national curriculum for science also covers some aspects of sex education and human reproduction, such as:

  • the structure and function of the male and female reproductive systems
  • the menstrual cycle
  • gametes, fertilisation, gestation and birth
  • HIV education

Secondary schools must have a relationships and sex education policy freely available. Parents must be consulted whenever the policy is renewed.

Parents can choose to withdraw their child from sex education that is not part of the national curriculum, up to and until 3 terms before the child’s 16th birthday. After this, a young person can receive sex education if they choose to.

England: Secondary schools: Health Education

Health education compulsory in all secondary schools except independent schools. Independent schools must teach personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education and the Department for Education advises that schools may find health education guidance “helpful in planning an age-appropriate curriculum.”

The Department for Education publishes statutory guidance on health education setting out the minimum that schools must teach.

Health education should develop and build on what was taught at primary school and cover the following content areas:

  • puberty, including physical and emotional changes and menstrual wellbeing
  • mental wellbeing, including emotions
  • internet safety and harms
  • physical health and fitness
  • healthy eating
  • drugs, alcohol and tobacco, including facts and risks
  • health and prevention, including sleep, healthy teeth and personal hygiene
  • first aid

Northern Ireland

Relationships and sexuality education (RSE)

RSE is a mandatory part of the curriculum for all school-age children in Northern Ireland.

Most schools in Northern Ireland are grant-aided schools and follow the national curriculum.

There are some high-level requirements for RSE, but there is no standardised compulsory curriculum. Schools have to develop their own RSE policy.

Each school’s Board of Governors is responsible for the school delivering a comprehensive RSE programme which meets the needs of its pupils and aligns with its RSE policy. This can mean the standard of RSE varies widely between schools.

Northern Ireland: Primary school

RSE is part of the statutory curriculum for personal development and mutual understanding.

Curriculum guidance sets out the minimum content that RSE must cover at primary school.

The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) publishes relationships and sexuality education guidance for primary schools.

Northern Ireland: Secondary school

RSE is part of:

  • personal development and home economics in the Learning for Life and Work strand of Key Stage 3
  • personal development in the Learning for Life and Work strand of Key Stage 4.

Curriculum guidance sets out the minimum content that RSE must cover at:

The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) publishes relationships and sexuality education guidance for post-primary schools.

All grant-aided schools must have an RSE policy. This should be based on consultation with parents and pupils.

Parents and carers can request to withdraw their child from sex education lessons. Schools can consider and grant these requests on an individual basis.

Northern Ireland Map

Scotland: Primary and Secondary Schools

Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) Education

RSHP is taught as part of the health and wellbeing curriculum area of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. Aspects of RSHP may also be discussed in other areas of the curriculum.

Relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education is taught as part of the health and wellbeing curriculum area of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. Aspects of RSHP may also be discussed in other areas of the curriculum.

The Curriculum for Excellence is intended for all children and young people aged from 3 to 18. All local authority managed schools and many independent schools in Scotland follow the Curriculum for Excellence.

Scotland’s curriculum is not statutory. This means that teachers, head teachers and other education professionals can decide how best to deliver the curriculum, based on local needs.

The Scottish Government publishes statutory guidance on RSHP education for local authority managed schools.

Education Scotland has produced ‘Experiences and Outcomes on RSHP’. These are statements about children’s learning and progression in RSHP education at different ages and stages of school.

Learning should develop as children move through school.

Learners should “develop an understanding of how to maintain positive relationships with a variety of people and are aware of how thoughts, feelings, attitudes, values and beliefs can influence decisions about relationships, and sexual health. They develop their understanding of the complex roles and responsibilities of being a parent or carer.”

About 1 in 7 (15%) schools in Scotland are faith schools. They are allowed to follow guidance on RSHP education from religious authorities with the statutory guidance produced by the Scottish Government “seen to be complementary to the guidance provided by the religious authority”.

Schools are advised that it’s “good practice” to consult children, young people and parents when developing or reviewing RSHP education programmes.

Parents and carers can withdraw a child from sexual health education lessons after due consideration. But if the child is at secondary school, the guidance states that “young people will often be capable of deciding themselves” whether or not to take part in lessons, depending on “their maturity, understanding and experience.” Their decision should be respected.

The health and wellbeing curriculum area also covers:

  • Mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing
  • Physical education, physical activity and sport
  • Food and health
  • Substance misuse
Scotland Flag

Wales

Wales: Primary and Secondary: Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE)

RSE is a statutory part of the Curriculum for Wales. Most schools in Wales are maintained schools and must follow the Curriculum for Wales. Independent schools do not have to follow the Curriculum for Wales but must provide a broad and balanced curriculum.

RSE is a compulsory part of the Curriculum for Wales for all learners aged from 3 to 16.

The Welsh Government publishes a Relationships and Sexuality Education Code which covers the themes and matters that must be covered in RSE. It focuses on three broad strands:

  • relationships and identity
  • sexual health and wellbeing
  • empowerment, safety and respect

RSE must be inclusive and reflect diversity, and teaching and learning should be supported by a whole-school approach to RSE.

Learning is divided into three phases.

  • Phase 1, from age 3
  • Phase 2, from age 7
  • Phase 3, from age 11

The phases are based on age, but all teaching should be appropriate to developmental stage as well as age. As learners progress through the phases, they should build on previous learning.

Schools should communicate and engage with learners, parents, carers and the wider community about RSE.

Parents and carers cannot choose to withdraw a child from RSE lessons.

  • Little Girl Holding Welsh Flag

Wales: Primary and Secondary: Health and Wellbeing

Health and wellbeing is a compulsory part of the Curriculum for Wales for all learners aged from 3 to 16.

The Welsh government has published five statements of what matters in health and wellbeing education. The statements “are meant to act as lenses through which different topics and issues can be explored giving professionals the flexibility to identify those which are relevant to the needs of their learners, their setting or school and their community.”

The five statements are:

  • Developing physical health and well-being has lifelong benefits.
  • How we process and respond to our experiences affects our mental health and emotional well-being.
  • Our decision-making impacts on the quality of our lives and the lives of others.
  • How we engage with social influences shapes who we are and affects our health and well-being.
  • Healthy relationships are fundamental to our well-being.