What is The Key?PricingBlog
GovernorHub Knowledge logo

Relationships, sex and health education (RSHE): requirements

Get a summary of the requirements to teach relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education, which differ for primary and secondary schools. Find out what you’re expected to cover, and details on parents' right to withdraw their children from sex education.

Last reviewed on 18 June 2024See updates
•Ref: 41583
Contents
  1. Your school's requirements
  2. Pupils can be withdrawn from sex education
  3. How Ofsted will inspect RSE 
  4. Your role in RSE
  5. Expectations for what pupils should know 
  6. Use RSE to take positive action 

Your school's requirements

All schools with a secondary phase (including all-through and middle schools) need to provide:

  • Relationships and sex education (RSE)
  • Health education

This is set out in the DfE's statutory guidance.

Your school must have an RSE policy

You need an up-to-date policy in place for RSE, and you must consult parents when you review or change it.

Your school must also publish a written statement of its RSE policy on its website.

This requirement is outlined in sections 8 to 12 of the Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (England) Regulations 2019. It is referred to as a 'statement' in this legislation, but the DfE clarified with us that this refers to the policy. 

Independent schools

All the requirements above apply, except around the health education requirement, because you're already required to provide PSHE. 

This is the case even if providers of teaching resources ask it