Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing suicide prevention as a compulsory part of the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum.

Health Education became a statutory part of the National Curriculum in September 2020, for all pupils in state funded schools of compulsory school age.

The aim of teaching pupils about physical health and mental wellbeing is to provide the information they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing, recognise issues in themselves and others and, when issues arise, seek support as early as possible from appropriate sources.

At primary school, pupils will be taught to recognise and talk about their emotions, the benefits of exercise, and simple self care techniques. At secondary school, pupils will be taught common types of mental ill health and how to recognise the early signs of mental wellbeing concerns. Schools can teach older pupils about suicide in an age appropriate and sensitive way.

The Department has brought forward the review of the relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance. The Department will consult on an amended draft of the statutory guidance in the autumn with a view to publishing the final version in early 2024.