How Ofsted will assess RSE (primary)

Last reviewed on 5 October 2021
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 39302

Relationships and sex education (RSE) is not inspected on its own - instead, Ofsted will look at how your school is meeting statutory requirements for RSE, and consider this within your school's 'personal development' and 'leadership and management' judgements.

Article tools

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 education became compulsory for primary 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 curriculum by the start of 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

Inspectors will be sympathetic where, as a result of the pandemic, your school hasn't been able to fully implement the RSE curriculum, provided your school leaders have:

This

Read next

Also in 'The inspection framework'