RSHE Statutory Guidance Update with DfE Feedback – September 2024
Update: 19 September 2024
Some good news for RSHE?
As many schools will have seen – and many teachers have been feeling – the previous Government created some potentially harmful changes to both:
- Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) statutory guidance, and
- Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) statutory guidance
Although the new governmentโs next steps are not yet clear, there is some positive news!
1) Schools can continue to follow the evidence-based statutory RSHE guidance, in force since 2020
The draft proposed update to this guidance remains a โdraftโ. The government has not yet announced the results of the 16 May – 11 July 2024 consultation on the draft or set out any next steps.
We hope this is good news and means the new government will agree to discard the draft and start a new consultation that helps teachers, is evidence-based, and consults children and young people.
2) KCSIE 2024 statutory update – harmful sections remain โunder reviewโ
While the 2024 version of the guidance that the FPA campaigned against became statutory on 2 September itโs important to note that:
a) The core changes we campaigned against – sections 204 to 209 – are still clearly labelled as โThis section remains under reviewโ
Please be aware that the restrictive gender questioning guidance referred to in these sections, remains in draft form only and is non-statutory.
b) The Department for Education (RSHE & Citizenship Unit) wrote to the FPA on 5 August to clarify:
โThe Government will be looking further at the detail of the Gender Questioning non-statutory guidance, ensuring it properly reflects the principles set out by the Cass Review and that it works practically for schools.
โIn the meantime, the law requires that schools should consider requests for social transitioning on a case-by-case basis.
โThe Government is clear that safeguarding and childrenโs welfare should be at the heart of all decisions in this area.โ
FPA summary:
- Many thanks to all of you – weโre sure that the many responses to the RSHE consultation as well as the many emails to MPs and DfE have made the DfE take another look at the drafts
- The positive news – part 1 – the new Government is still reviewing both areas
- The positive news – part 2 – teachers can still follow the existing RSHE guidance
- The FPA will remain vigilant and continue to campaign for:
- Equality, dignity and respect for all
- Schools and parents working together
- Pragmatic and evidence-based changes
- Updated guidance that helps children and teachers navigate an ever-changing world
Just to confirm, FPA’s RSHE resources including Yasmine and Tom for primary schools and Sexual Health Essentials for secondary schools remain compliant.
Naturally we will continue to update resources to ensure theyโre inline with the latest guidance.
In the meantime – thank you again for your support!
Adam
Adam Jepsen
Chief Health and Sex Education Officer
Family Planning Association
