Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Guidance

Bridget Phillipson Excerpts

Wednesday 16th July 2025 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Education (Bridget Phillipson)]

I am pleased to share the publication of updated statutory guidance for schools on the teaching of relationships education, relationships and sex education and health education.

We have comprehensively updated the RSHE guidance to address the most challenging issues facing young people today, to make it fit for the digital age, and to equip teachers to support young people to build healthy, respectful relationships in an increasingly complex online world. The new guidance will come into force formally from September 2026. Schools can use it in the meantime to shape their RSHE lessons.

In updating this guidance, we have looked closely at all of the responses to last year’s consultation, which are reflected in the consultation response published alongside the new guidance. We have also spoken in detail to experts and to young people, and this guidance reflects their wisdom.

This updated guidance provides a practical framework that enables schools to teach RSHE in a way which puts children’s wellbeing and safeguarding at its heart. The guidance is clear about the importance of ensuring that all lessons are age appropriate. It is clear that parents should be consulted on the content of the RSHE curriculum and have a right to know what their children are being taught, while ensuring that teachers are able to teach about topics preventively, or to respond swiftly when a risk presents itself earlier than anticipated.

The guidance includes significant new content to ensure that RSHE plays its full role in the prevention of violence against women and girls, as part of our Government mission to halve VAWG.

This includes a focus on building healthy relationships skills from the start of primary. It includes an emphasis on opening conversations with young people about positive masculinity and femininity, and ensuring that nobody is stigmatised in these conversations. The guidance is clear that teaching about sexual ethics must go beyond teaching about consent, so that young people understand how to act with kindness and respect in all of their relationships.

The guidance includes new content on teaching about suicide prevention. It is clear that schools should have a plan for addressing suicide prevention safely with secondary school pupils, including ensuring that staff have the knowledge and skills to do so.

The section on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender teaching content is also clear up front about the difference in rights based on sex and gender reassignment, to reflect the Supreme Court ruling on the interpretation of the Equality Act in the For Women Scotland case. The guidance is also clear about the need to avoid language and activities which repeat or enforce gender stereotypes, which is in line with the conclusions of the Cass review of 2024.

As these matters are devolved, the Department for Education will implement these proposals in England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different policies in place and my Department will continue to engage with each of the devolved Administrations to encourage a joined-up approach on this matter.

This guidance should help our young people to live healthy lives, build strong, respectful relationships and play their part as active citizens in our society.

[HCWS825]