How Ofsted will assess RSE (secondary)

Last reviewed on 5 October 2021
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 39706

Relationships and sex education (RSE) is not inspected on its own - instead, Ofsted will consider this within your school's 'personal development' and 'leadership and management' judgements. Understand what requirements your school needs to meet and evidence it can present.

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Contents

  1. Your RSE requirements
  2. COVID-19 considerations
  3. How your RSE provision can affect judgements
  4. How inspectors will make their judgements
  5. Links with protected characteristics
  6. Ofsted review of sexual abuse

Your RSE requirements

Although relationships and sex education (RSE) became compulsory for secondary pupils on 1 September 2020, the DfE recognises that not all schools were ready to teach the new curriculum due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic.

As such, your school:

  • Was required to start teaching the RSE curriculum by the summer term 2021
  • Should have published a policy for RSE, and
  • Should have consulted parents on the policy 

This is explained in the 'leadership and management' section of the DfE's statutory guidance.

Read more about your school's RSE requirements in our other article.

COVID-19 considerations

Had regard to the statutory guidance A good rationale for prioritising what they implemented Clear and effective plans to address any gaps before the end of the 2021/22 academic

Read next

Also in 'The inspection framework'