Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE)

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The teaching of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. All grant-aided schools are required to have an RSE policy that is based on consultation with parents and pupils. It is the responsibility of the Board of Governors of each school to ensure that a comprehensive programme is delivered which meets the needs of its pupils and aligns with its RSE policy.

About RSE

The statutory curriculum for personal development and mutual understanding at primary level, and the personal development strand of the learning for life and work area of learning at post-primary level, includes high level prescribed content for RSE at each key stage; this is the minimum entitlement that all young people must legally receive.

Beyond this, teachers are expected to ‘provide a balance of experiences’ drawn from a list of examples prepared by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA).

The Preventative Curriculum in Schools and EOTAS Centres

The Department commissioned the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) to conduct an evaluation of the Preventative Curriculum in Schools and Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) Centres. Throughout the 2021-2022 academic year, ETI distributed questionnaires to schools, EOTAS Centres and pupils. It engaged in discussions with staff, pupils, parents and governors and conducted visits to primary, post-primary and special schools and EOTAS centres. The published report can be found at The Preventative Curriculum in Schools and EOTAS Centres | Education Training Inspectorate together with ‘easy read’ versions for both primary and post-primary pupils.

The Department welcomes the many strengths highlighted in the report, including: the work of staff in schools in implementing safeguarding arrangements and to support the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people; the work of governors; and the advice and support provided by Child Protection Support Service in the Education Authority.

The report also notes the growing use of social media and online safety and the challenges that these present to schools and young people is a matter of concern.

The ETI has reported considerable variation in the effectiveness and range of approaches taken by schools in delivering the taught elements of the preventative curriculum. It also found that too many schools avoid, or cover with insufficient depth, many of the more sensitive aspects of the RSE curriculum. The report presents an important opportunity at both system and school level, to reflect on how the preventative curriculum, of which RSE is an important part, is delivered to our children and young people, and how we can give effect to the changes needed which it identifies.

Amendments to the RSE curriculum by the Secretary of State

The Secretary of State is required by section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 to implement recommendation 86(d) of the Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination of Women (CEDAW). Therefore, Regulations to amend the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, and the Education (Curriculum Minimum Content) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 in relation to RSE key stage 3 and 4 were laid before Parliament.

The Relationships and Sexuality Education (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (the “2023 Regulations”) amend the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Education (Curriculum Minimum Content) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 in respect of Learning for Life and Work (LLW) to ensure that pupils at key stages 3 and 4 have the opportunity to “Receive age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion” (Referred to here as “Article 5(1A) education”).

The 2023 Regulations also require the Department to make provision about the circumstances in which, at the request of a parent, a pupil may be excused from Article 5(1A) education or specified elements of that education. Under the Curriculum (Circumstances in which a Pupil may be Excused from Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Education) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023, a pupil may be excused from either all of Article 5(1A) education or specified elements of that education.

For pupils in years 8, 9, 10 and 11 the circumstances are, where a parent makes a request for a pupil to be excused from Article 5(1A) education or a specified element of it by confirming which elements of the education, the pupil should be excused.

For pupils in year 12 the circumstances are, where a parent makes a request for a pupil to be excused from Article 5(1A) education or specified elements of it by confirming which elements of the education the pupil should be excused from and confirms that the pupil does not object to being excused.

The Explanatory Memorandum, which accompanies the Regulations can be found at the link below.

Resources

CCEA RSE HUB

To enhance the effective delivery of RSE, CCEA developed and launched an RSE Progression Framework for years 1 to 14 on its RSE Hub containing guidance for teachers. The online RSE Hub provides a central repository of age-appropriate information and guidance on a range of topics aimed at providing teachers with the resources and support to increase their competence and confidence in delivering RSE.

Schools are encouraged to use the Hub to support the delivery of RSE and to consider ETI’s findings as part of your school development planning process. Schools may also wish to consider using a School Development Day to support staff development and self-evaluation with a focus on the preventative curriculum including RSE.

Next steps

The Department has set up a Task and Finish Group to consider and respond to ETI’s findings and recommended next steps and will be engaging with practitioners as part of this process.

The Department has issued guidance to schools regarding the delivery of RSE in the context of the Regulations made by the Secretary of State which amend the Education (Curriculum Minimum Content) Order (NI) 2007.

The Department consulted on the circumstances and arrangements which would enable a parent to excuse a pupil from receiving age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion.

The consultation is now closed.

Consultation Response

The Department’s response to the consultation was published on 5 January 2024. It can be found at Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Consultation | Department of Education (education-ni.gov.uk)

Circular 2024/1 provides guidance in relation to the provision of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools following the Secretary of State’s amendments to the Learning for Life and Work (LLW) curriculum at key stages 3 and 4. It is intended to support post-primary schools as they update their RSE policies and teaching provision in response to these changes. The Circular also provides guidance in respect of the circumstances in which a parent can request to have a pupil excused from the new elements of Relationships and Sexuality Education.

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