Schools sex education to start at five
SEX education will become statutory from the age of five in Wales – but parents will still have the right to exclude their children from it.
Under reforms announced today, sex and relationships education (SRE) will be broadened to include issues such as gender identity, sexting, and online safety, the Welsh Government said.
The changes will be part of Wales’ new curriculum in four years’ time.
When the reformed curriculum is in place in 2022 the subject will become statutory from the age of five to 16, but children will not be taught about topics for which they are not developmentally ready, the Welsh Government said.
The changes follow a review of the subject by an expert panel led by Professor Emma Renold, professor of childhood studies at Cardiff University, which said sex education should be about more than biology and should be widened to reflect pupils’ day-today lives and experience.
At the moment SRE is a statutory part of the basic curriculum in Wales, but it is down to schools to decide their approach to the subject and this sometimes doesn’t stretch beyond the biological aspects of human relationships, the Welsh Government admitted.
The new version – which will see the topic become relationships and sexuality education (RSE) – places an emphasis on “forming and maintaining healthy, happy and fulfilling relationships”.
Announcing the change, the Welsh Government added: “Learners will also be given a much broader understanding of sexuality that is fully inclusive of LGBTQI+ learners and includes wider issues such as consent, domestic abuse, and respecting diversity.
“The decision to change the focus of this area of study to relationships and sexuality, as well as the decision to make it statutory, reflects its immense importance in terms of how learners understand themselves, each other, their community and society.”
Support for teachers includes changes to SRE training in both initial teacher education and within the workforce.
School improvement consortia will be given £200,000 to identify professional learning needs for teaching the new-style SRE. A further £50,000 has also been awarded to Welsh Women’s Aid to develop resources and training for schools.
Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said: “Sex should never be taught in isolation for the simple reason that it is about so much more than just sex – it’s also about relationships, rights and respect and that must go hand in hand with a much broader understanding of sexuality. By creating RSE as a statutory area of study in our new curriculum for Wales we will support our young people to develop healthy relationships, maintain good mental health, and keep physically and sexually safe.
“Of course 30 years on from the introduction of Section 28, we will also ensure that RSE is fully inclusive of all genders and sexualities and meets the needs of LGBTQI+ learners.
“Thirty years ago Margaret Thatcher denounced local education authorities for teaching children that ‘they have an inalienable right to be gay’. I want all our learners to know that they have an inalienable right to be happy.”
Prof Renold said: “I am delighted that the expert panel’s recommendations have been met with such unequivocal enthusiasm by Kirsty Williams.
“Embracing and implementing the panel’s evidenced-based vision to transform relationships and sexuality education, from effective pedagogy to teacher training, will, over time, ensure a relevant, engaging, and high-quality RSE that meets the needs of all children and young people.”