Commenting on media leaks ahead of new guidance for schools on
Relationships, Sex and Health Education, Daniel Kebede,
General Secretary of the National Education Union,
said:
"We will look carefully at the details of the proposals. If
reports in the press are correct there are many areas of
concern.
"Education about sex and about positive relationships is
important, and it is vital for it to be delivered in an
age-appropriate and phase-appropriate way. The Government appears
to be seeding doubts that this is not already being done and
thought about carefully by school leaders and teachers up and
down the land. This is yet more culture war noise from an
ill-informed and out of touch Government.
"Schools need clear and constructive support about how to respond
to the issues children and young people face, read about online
and chat about in the playground. Primary-aged children pick up
information online and need the opportunity to discuss puberty
and relationships and their bodies with trusted adults.
"Issues such as domestic violence can affect children from a
young age and it is irresponsible to shut this conversation out
until teenage years. We must also challenge widespread patterns
like sexual bullying and homophobic bullying which start in
primary, and all children must have the language to help them
make disclosures where needed."
