Sex education compulsory

SEX education will become compulsory for schoolchildren from September 2020, under government plans.

Pupils as young as four will have lessons in well-being and healthy living, the Department for Education said.

Health education is to be a mandatory part of the curriculum for all primary and secondary schools in England from 2020. The proposals are being published alongside draft guidance on relationships and sex education. Damian Hinds, the Education Secretary, said that good physical and mental health would help prepare young people for the adult world.

Legislation last year made relationships education compulsory in primary schools, while sex and relationships education was made compulsory in secondary schools. Guidelines will be updated to address modern issues such as cyber-bullying, sexting and online safety. Primary school pupils will also learn about the perils of social media.

All children aged four to 11 should be taught a set of rules and principles to

protect themselves online, the draft guidance will say, as well as how to spot risks and harmful content.

Primary school pupils should also be taught why computer games, online gaming and social media sites have age restrictions.

Last year, the Government tabled an amendment to the Children and Social Work Bill that will make “age appropriate” sex and relationship education part of the English national curriculum at primary and secondary schools.

It will become a statutory requirement for all schoolchildren to be given sex and relationships education classes from the autumn term of 2020.

Currently only pupils attending local authority run secondary schools, which represent around a third of secondary schools, are offered sex and relationships education.