Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the remit of her Department's review into relationships, sex and health education will include a consideration of whether parents with children at (a) primary and (b) secondary schools should have the option of withdrawing their children from all relationships, health and sex education lessons.

The right to withdraw is set out in the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (England) Regulations 2019. The review announced by the Department in March 2023 will be focused on the content of the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) guidance. The Department has no current plans to revisit the legislation.

The Department remains committed to ensuring that all pupils receive age appropriate RSHE to support their wellbeing and attainment and helping them to become successful adults who make a meaningful contribution to society.

As part of the review, the Department is setting up an independent panel of experts to advise on what can be done to ensure that what is taught is appropriate, including introducing age restrictions: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/review-of-relationships-sex-and-health-education-to-protect-children-to-conclude-by-end-of-year.