Brook response to draft RSHE guidance

The Government has published the draft revised RSHE guidance.

As an organisation dedicated to fighting for improved Relationships and Sex Education we are deeply concerned by the age-restrictions that will be introduced by this guidance.

Young people are already disproportionately affected by STIs, they are experiencing extreme misogyny and sexual harassment in schools, and their mental health (particularly those who identify as LGBT+) is at crisis point.

Denying young people the right to timely, inclusive and comprehensive sexual health information and education will only put them at greater risk of harm. Explicitly excluding discussion of gender identity will create a silence and a vacuum where misinformation and bullying will thrive.

The draft guidance is out of touch with the realities of what young people tell us they are experiencing and need to be taught. It puts politics above the safety of children and young people, and fails to consider the wealth of knowledge and evidence that exists in this area.

Rather than providing the clarity they want, teachers have told us this guidance is unworkable. The advice about what can be taught and when lacks consistency and chronology; it contradicts other Government guidance on equalities and bullying; and undermines best practice in terms of both pedagogy and safeguarding.

This is the first guidance I have seen, since becoming a teacher in the 90s that recommends withdrawing learning from the curriculum

Director of Innovation and Education at Brook, Dougie Boyd.

What you need to know

• The public consultation closes 11 July 2024. Everyone can respond to the consultation. See our guide to help you respond.
• Schools should not change anything about their RSHE curriculum right now. This is only draft guidance and is out for public consultation. We are hoping that the consultation will result in substantial changes. Once it has been revised and published, schools will have until September 2025 to implement changes.

What will Brook do?

• provide detailed comment on the content and how to respond to the consultation
• work with young people to ensure their views are heard during the consultation process

What can you do now?

1. Respond to the draft guidance using our guide
2. Pledge your support for high-quality inclusive RSHE
3. Donate to Brook to help us fight for improved RSHE for all
4. Share this blog and our social media content about the draft guidance to raise awareness

Summary of key issues with the draft guidance

Evidence

The guidance does not reflect:

• the national and international evidence-base on RSHE efficacy and outcomes
• evidence of what young people say they need and want from RSHE [i]
• evidence specifically commissioned by the Government itself to inform the RSHE guidance[ii]
• evidence on what young people are viewing online

Safeguarding

The introduction of age-ratings will delay the provision of critical safeguarding information to children. It is based on the idea that children must already being experiencing harm or be exposed to problematic information or behaviour before we provide them with information that will protect them.

We know that children and young people are facing more risks and challenges at earlier ages. Age-ratings will prevent schools delivering lessons that are timely and relevant; and will deprive children of the knowledge and understanding they need to stay safe from abuse, sexual exploitation, poor sexual health and more.

The age ratings set out in the guidance delay teaching of vital topics, (including learning about sexual abuse, domestic violence understanding pornography, learning about FGM and STIs). They are also confusing and at points contradictory.

This will prevent best practice of progressing through topics beginning with basic information and concepts which are built on year on year (i.e. the spiral curriculum)

Children will be aware that certain information is off limits, and this may stop them seeking help from a trusted adult in the school.

Arbitrary age-ratings may be particularly harmful for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who are particularly vulnerable to abuse. They may need education that is explicit and specific and begins early in order to repeat and embed messages about safety.

The guidance fails to recognise that much abuse happens within the family so parents are not always a safe or useful place for children to go with questions or for help.

LGBT+ exclusion

The guidance says that making lessons in primary school LGBT+ inclusive is now discretionary, creating a postcode lottery as to whether children of LGBT+ parents will have their families recognised.

Explicitly excluding discussion of gender identity will create a silence and a vacuum where misinformation and bullying will thrive. This is not compatible with schools’ public sector equality duty, their duty to prevent and address bullying, or the need to recognise gender reassignment as a protected characteristic.

Those who were pupils and teachers under Section 28 point to the corrosive effect of prohibiting information, both on individuals and school communities.

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[i]Annual young people’s RSE poll Sex Education Forum, 2024; We have to educate ourselves: How young people are learning about relationships, sex and sexuality, NSPCC, 2023; Letter to the Secretary of State for Education from young people, Brook, 2024

[ii] DfE Expert panel recommendations; Literature review on sexual harassment and RSHE; Brook research on sexual harassment, scientific panel on the evidence base for RSHE [none of which have been published]