How to review your relationships and sex education policy

Last reviewed on 23 September 2022
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Statutory/mandatory for: Maintained schools Academies Free schools Independent schools Pupil referral units Non-maintained special schools

Find everything you need to review your relationships and sex education (RSE) policy, including key questions to ask your school leaders. Download our model policy to see what good looks like.

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Contents

  1. Key facts
  2. What this policy needs to do
  3. 5 key questions to challenge the policy
  4. Model policy from The Key 
  5. Schools must publish a written statement of the policy
  6. Examples from academies
  7. Examples from trusts 

What this policy needs to do

When you're reading your school's relationships and sex education policy, make sure it: 

  • Sets out the content of the RSE curriculum – this might include details about schemes of work
  • Sets out how RSE will be taught – this might include when each topic is taught, taking account of pupils' ages
  • Explains who teaches the RSE curriculum
  • Describes how RSE will be monitored and evaluated
  • Confirms the date by which the policy will be reviewed

Define 'relationships education' – this should also clarify why parents do not have a right to withdraw their child from this part of the curriculum Define any sex education the school/trust chooses to teach beyond that which is covered by the science curriculum – this should clarify that parents do have the right to withdraw their child from this part of the curriculum and give details on how to do so If you're

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