To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2020 to Question 108223 on Sex and Relationship Education: Religion, whether the materials published on the website, A Fertile Heart are permitted to be used in schools according to the Government guidance, Plan your relationships, sex and health curriculum, published on 24 September 2020.
Answered on
9 November 2020
The Department remains committed to supporting all schools in their preparations to deliver the content of Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) subjects.
It is for schools to decide which resources they choose to support the teaching of RSHE. The Department’s ‘Plan your relationships, sex and health curriculum’ implementation guidance, building on the content of the statutory RSHE guidance, includes clear advice on choosing resources: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
The implementation guidance also advises schools to exercise caution when working with external agencies, including ensuring they have full confidence in any agency’s approach and the resources it uses. The Department has stated that schools should not work with agencies that take extreme positions, and this should also be reflected in the school’s choice of resources.