Revised sex education guidance in the UK addresses parental apprehensions and respects religious liberties
The British Department for Education (DfE) has published updated statutory guidance for Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education, which will be implemented in primary and secondary schools across England starting from September 2025. The guidance aims to prepare young people for the complexities of the world they are growing up in, promote safety, health, and respectful behaviour, and give pupils tools to keep themselves and others safe.
The guidance is mandatory for governing bodies, headteachers, senior leaders, and teachers in all schools and sets required curriculum content for Relationships Education (primary), Relationships and Sex Education (secondary), and Health and Wellbeing (primary and secondary).
One key aspect of the guidance is its inclusive requirement. RSE must be taught sensitively and inclusively, with respect for pupils’ backgrounds and beliefs. This includes teaching about different kinds of relationships, including same-sex relationships, as part of Relationships Education and RSE. Schools must also address gender identity (gender reassignment) within the equality and LGBT content sections, teaching about trans pupils with respect and inclusivity while remaining age-appropriate.
Online safety is another major focus of the guidance, with schools required to teach pupils how to critically evaluate online content, recognise online risks, and keep themselves safe. The guidance updates cover online safety explicitly, including teaching about misogyny, harmful ideologies (for example, incel culture), and how to analyse and challenge harmful norms encountered online.
Schools with a religious character are given some flexibility to shape delivery according to the needs of their pupils and communities, provided the required outcomes are met and equality duties are observed. Schools with a Christian ethos are granted permission to share a biblical perspective on topics of family, relationships, and sex.
Parents play a crucial role in this process. They have the right to request their child's withdrawal from some or all of sex education delivered as part of statutory RSE. Parents are also allowed to view materials used in sex education and RSE.
Alicia Edmund, head of public policy at the UK Evangelical Alliance, considers the publication of this guidance a small victory for Christian families. The EAUK will host an online webinar this autumn to equip parents on how to engage positively with their school and teach a biblical sexual ethic to children and young people.
The guidance is designed for trustees, governors, and school staff of independent, free, academies, pupil referral units, and/or faith schools for primary or secondary school-aged children. The EAUK will also host an online webinar to discuss how to teach and discuss a biblical sexual ethic with children and young people at an age suited to their social development.
References: 1. July 2025 statutory guidance document 2. Government’s consultation response 3. Practical parent-facing summaries and implementation commentary
- The new education guidelines, covering relationship and sex education, health education, and online safety, also focus on political and social issues, such as teaching about different kinds of relationships, gender identity, and online safety in a critical and inclusive manner, citing the July 2025 statutory guidance document as the official source.
- In addition to the new education guidelines, the government's consultation response and practical parent-facing summaries provide valuable commentary and implementation strategies, addressing topics such as the role of parents in sex education and the appropriate teaching of a biblical sexual ethic in schools, as shown by the Government’s consultation response and practical parent-facing summaries.
