From September 2026, all schools in England must follow updated statutory guidance for Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE). This refreshed guidance from the Department for Education strengthens safeguarding, reflects the realities of children’s lives today, and ensures students build the knowledge and skills they need to stay safe, healthy, and respectful in both the physical and online world.
Below is an overview of what the new expectations mean for our curriculum and for you as parents and carers:
Why has the RSHE guidance been updated?
The Government has revised the RSHE curriculum to address emerging challenges faced by children and young people. Research highlights increased exposure to harmful online content, including misogynistic attitudes and inappropriate images, which can shape unhealthy views about relationships. The new guidance aims to help schools support students in recognising positive role models, challenging harmful ideas, and understanding how to stay safe online and offline.
You can find further details and questions about the introduction of compulsory relationships education on the Government website.
What students will learn
Lower School (Relationships & Health Education)
In lower school, children will continue to learn about:
Positive relationships with friends and family, underpinned by kindness, respect, and how to seek help if something feels wrong.
Understanding their bodies, including correct names for body parts, helping them recognise and report concerns while reducing stigma and safeguarding risk.
Online safety and wellbeing, including age restrictions, privacy, personal data, scams, online gaming risks, and how to critically evaluate what they see online.
Personal safety, such as managing risk around roads, railways, water and public spaces.
Change and loss, including bereavement and how feelings can differ between individuals.
Secondary (Relationships, Sex & Health Education)
In middle & upper school, students will build on earlier learning and study:
Consent, respect, and healthy intimate relationships.
Challenging harmful attitudes, particularly misogyny and violence against women and girls. There is stronger focus on understanding the impact of violence, stereotyping, and unhealthy media portrayals.
Online harms, including pornography, digital exploitation, online gaming risks, and financial scams.
Mental health, including grief, loss, emotional wellbeing, and coping strategies.
How these topics will be taught
Teachers are guided to deliver lessons that are:
Age‑appropriate, ensuring children are not introduced to content too early but allowing teachers to respond sensitively to real‑life issues students encounter.
Safe and inclusive, creating spaces where students feel comfortable asking questions and discussing concerns.
Skills‑focused, emphasising practical knowledge for staying safe, managing relationships, recognising risk, and making informed choices.
Your right to be involved
Parents continue to have the right to request withdrawal from specific elements of Sex Education taught at stage 6, and also elements in upper school, although not from Relationships or Health Education. (Based on statutory expectations for 2026.)
