Young people desperately need relationship and sex education
which covers sexual harassment, sexting and online porn and the
other issues they face today, says the National Education Union
responding to the Department for Education’s consultation on
updated guidance.
Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National
Education Union, said: “Young people need relationships and sex
education that is fit for the world they live in in the
21st century. The report we put out last week,
with UK Feminista, shows how urgent this is because sexual
harassment of girls is widespread, with 37% of girls in mixed-sex
schools having been sexually harassed at school.
“We are calling on relationship and sex education (RSE) to be
made a compulsory part of personal, social, health and economic
education (PSHE) for all school children. Young people need to be
given the knowledge and skills to challenge unacceptable and
harmful behaviours and equip them to stay safe. It is not good
enough to rely on parents to provide the information and advice
young people need when many do not have the time or information
to do so.
“For it to be effective, the Government needs to invest in
training for teachers so that schools are able to provide high
quality RSE. It also needs to ensure schools have high quality
resources and enough time in the school curriculum to teach RSE.
“Primary school children need to be given the correct names of
body parts, and to learn about menstruation and puberty. RSE also
needs to be fully accessible to pupils with special educational
needs and disabilities (SEND), promote gender equality, and be
LGBT+ inclusive.
“High quality RSE would prepare our children to have healthy
relationships in adulthood, as well as tackle gender inequality
and help our children to stay safe online and offline.
“We are relieved the Government has finally got around to
updating its 2000 guidance and will respond to the consultation.”
