, Member of Parliament for Rotherham, and , MP for
Basingstoke, have jointly written to the Secretary of State for
Education raising concerns about the long overdue implementation
of Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE).
The two MPs were instrumental in bringing about the legislation
which introduced mandatory RSHE lessons for all children in
school in 2017.
RSHE was supposed to become compulsory from September 2020,
though due to the difficult circumstances presented by the
pandemic, the Government allowed schools a degree of flexibility
in the roll out and it should now be mandatory from September
2021.
Commenting, said:
“It pains me that children have gone another year without the
support RSHE could have provided to them. During the pandemic, it
is well documented that children were more vulnerable to online
exploitation, abuse and mental health pressures. Had the
long-promised education been in place, children would have had
the resources to recognise these risks.’
‘Education is also vital in challenging misogynistic
attitudes and teaching children what healthy relationships should
look like.’
‘The Ofsted review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges,
found evidence of widespread sexual harassment. However, the
training for teachers in the content and how to teach such a
sensitive topic, and the resourcing for schools to implement RSHE
lessons, is still not on place.”
The letter to the Secretary of State says:
“RSHE is an invaluable resource which must now bring about
positive culture change in schools and better enable young people
to develop healthy relationships and live free from sexual
bullying, harassment and violence. Unfortunately, the
implementation support for schools to teach statutory RSHE has so
far been insufficient.’
‘The Government recognises the value of RSHE as a key element
of the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, so it
must now follow through and ensure the implementation of this
vital tool is fully optimised.’
‘We cannot allow another year to pass by where children are
still not being effectively taught the important lessons of
Relationship, Sex and Health Education.”
ENDS
Notes to editors;
Copy of final letter attached.
Ofsted’s review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges can be
read here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ofsted-culture-change-needed-to-tackle-normalised-sexual-harassment-in-schools-and-colleges
Statutory Relationship, Sex and Health Education was mandated in
the Children and Social Work 2017 Act:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2017/16/part/1/chapter/4/enacted
