New compulsory relationships and sexuality lessons have begun in Wales for children aged three to 16 this term and teachers have described what they will contain. What children will be taught and how has caused controversy.
Some parents are not happy and mounted legal action to withdraw their children from the lessons - they lost that action last week but had already been granted a judicial review which is scheduled to be heard in the High Court in November.
Police removed members of a public gallery during a “chaotic” council meeting about the new sex education policy two weeks ago and several women left Gwynedd council chamber in tears after a graphic leaflet was issued by opponents.
Read more: The parents opposed to compulsory relationship and sex education in schools
The leaflet’s claims were rejected by the Welsh Government as “full of misinformation” and Education Minister Jeremy Miles put out a statement saying the claims had “no basis in truth”.
The Welsh Government insists that all RSE will be age and developmentally appropriate and schools must follow the new RSE Code. But what does that mean and what will RSE teaching look like in practice? Here we take a look at what what RSE is and and how schools have been asked to teach it.
What is RSE?
Schools have been told to follow the Welsh Government’s Relationships and Sexuality Education Code when teachers are planning lessons. The RSE Code sets out three “strands” to be followed in three stages from ages three, seven and 11, but teachers are asked to design lessons aimed at individuals in the class - so what they learn can be adapted.
Content is set within these three linked “learning strands”:
- Relationships and identity: The Code explains this as "The range of relationships that human beings have throughout their lives. How identity can be shaped by relationships and sexuality. The importance of human rights in securing healthy, safe and fulfilling relationships in an inclusive society. Sexual health and well-being. Empowerment, safety and respect."
- Sexual health and wellbeing: The Code explains this as "Learning about how living things grow, reproduce and have a life cycle. Developing an understanding of the human body, including people’s feelings about their bodies and how these can be represented. The health issues related to relationships and sexuality An understanding of how sexuality and sexual health affects our well-being.
- Empowerment, safety and respect:. The Code explains this as " Learners’ rights to safety and protection and freedom from harm and discrimination. How and where to seek information, help and support. How to support and advocate for the rights, fair treatment and respect of all."
Each of the three “strands” gets more detailed as pupils work through them from ages three, seven and 11. Discussing how relationships work with a class of six year-olds might involve a teacher asking whether they think consent should be asked for opening another pupil’s pencil case. This could develop on to painting pictures of families and different types of families. Discussing consent with an older pupil could include sexual consent.
Sex and gender
Some people are concerned about what, how and when children will learn about sex, gender and sexual identity. On this the RSE Code says: “In early development, learners need to experience contexts for understanding the importance of maintaining personal health and well-being, including hygiene, and how this impacts on themselves and others. This progresses to applying broad principles of health and hygiene within sexual health.
“As learners develop, teaching and learning needs to include focus on exploring how physical changes have an impact on well-being and relationships ensuring the representation of LGBTQ+ experiences and lives."
It goes on: “Over time, learners can explore how relationships, sex, gender, romantic and sexual attraction and personal experiences may shape and inform a person’s and identity and individuality. This supports learners to understand how identity, relationships and sexuality are informed by biology, technology and social, cultural and religious norms and that these may change over time.”
Age appropriate RSE
The three "strands" start from ages three, seven and 11 ands work through phases. But the RSE Code states how content must be “appropriate to learner development” and not just based on what should be taught at what age.
It says: “The Act requires that the RSE schools provide must be developmentally appropriate for learners. This means schools and settings must take account of factors including the learner’s age; knowledge and maturity; any additional learning needs and anticipating their physiological and emotional development. RSE must be developmentally appropriate for each learner, meaning that learners’ needs of similar ages may differ.”
The “phases” have been designed to give teachers and school staff an understanding of what is likely to be developmentally appropriate. For example, in phase one and two learners will be taught about the principles of general consent as pre-requisites for learning about sexual consent at the developmentally appropriate time in phase three.
How are teachers being trained?
The Welsh Government said a Wales-wide RSE professional learning group has been running for regional leads to discuss issues such as professional learning and share best practice. Professional Learning has been made available to help schools and other educational settings implement RSE.
Some parents still aren't happy
A group of parents have applied for judicial review of the Welsh Government's approach to RSE. In particular, they claim that:
1) it is unlawful that parents have no legal entitlement to withdraw their children from RSE;
2) teaching will not be suitable for children and at early years teaching will include teaching sexual activity and gender theory, and
3) that it will seek to indoctrinate children about issues around gender and sexuality.
The Welsh Government's response is that: "RSE is about keeping learners safe and it's important in protecting them that all have this learning. The decision not to give parents a right to withdraw their children was taken after a long period of consultation and was approved by the Senedd, schools will be expected to engage closely with parents to ensure they understand what's being taught and when.
"Schools will be legally required to make sure learning is appropriate for the age and development of each child, the RSE code which sets out what schools must cover gives clear requirements on what should be taught when to ensure it is appropriate, at early years the code requires learning about friendships and family and does not include learning about sexual activity or gender theory.
"Schools will be legally required to make sure learning is factual and balanced and presents a range of views and values on different issues. Schools will not be able to push a particular ideology and again the code sets out what must be required. "
The claimants made an interim application to withdraw their children from RSE, or halt RSE altogether until the hearing in November. The court dismissed this application, making a judgment in favour of Welsh Government. The Welsh Government said that all of the examples of teaching of RSE that the claimants relied on in their arguments were from outside Wales.
The judicial review hearing is scheduled for November.
Read next:
- The huge changes to how schools will teach in Wales this term
- 'I hid my partner upstairs so my friends and colleagues wouldn't know I was gay'
- Free school meals: Welsh councils reveal which children will be offered them from the start of term
- 40% say players gender identity and sexual preferences are not relevant
- The massive row about sexual harassment in schools
