Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will introduce the teaching of the dangers of pornography into the school syllabus.

Teaching about sex and relationship education (SRE) is already compulsory in maintained secondary schools, and academies are expected to provide SRE as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.

When teaching SRE, all schools must have regard to the Secretary of State's statutory guidance, which sets out that SRE should be age-appropriate. Schools should ensure SRE supports young people to develop positive values and a moral framework that will guide their decisions, judgments and behaviour. Schools are encouraged to develop their SRE practice with the support of specialist organisations and expert professionals who are best placed to provide schools with up-to-date materials and advice on changing technologies.

Schools will welcome the new supplementary advice, ‘Sex and relationships education (SRE) for the 21st century', published recently by the PSHE Association, the Sex Education Forum and Brook. This addresses changes in technology and legislation since 2000, and will equip teachers to help protect children and young people from inappropriate online content, including the dangers of pornography, and from online bullying, harassment and exploitation.