Sex and Relationship Education

(asked on 16th March 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will introduce a minimum statutory requirement for Relationships and Sex Education provision to young people aged 16-19 including in college and university settings; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Gillian Keegan Portrait
Gillian Keegan
Secretary of State for Education
This question was answered on 19th March 2021

Further Education and Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies, and as such it is for them to determine the type of course content and provision for students.

Sixth form colleges, 16-19 academies, and further education providers do not follow the national or basic curriculum, which goes up to age 16 only. Instead, all 16-19 year olds in school and further education follow study programmes which combine qualifications with other activities to help prepare students for adult life.

The statutory guidance on Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) encourages post 16 settings to support students by offering RSHE subjects where appropriate. These settings may find the principles helpful, especially in supporting students in the transition to further education.

There is already a strong emphasis within the new inspection arrangements that Further Education, Skills providers and schools ensure that students and pupils access a broad and balanced curriculum. This includes requirements around the new RSHE subjects, and a new judgement on individual personal development. This is set out in Ofsted’s Further Education and Skills Inspection Handbook.

As part of the judgement on personal development, Ofsted will look at how providers support learners in “developing an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships through appropriate relationship and sex education".

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