There has been a huge amount of misconception about the new sex and relationships curriculum and many people getting carried away in their objections.
The guidelines are extremely clear that the curriculum devised for the youngest of primary school students will be centred around topics such as respect, helping your friends and family, etc. This is obviously going to include some element of different family structures since there are pupils who will be raised in households of two mothers or two fathers. Obviously this is less ‘catchy’ than a headline of ‘LGBT will now be taught to primary school children’, but the reality is that children will be taught that families come in all shapes and sizes and that they shouldn’t judge or exclude their peers for being brought up in a family structure that looks different.
A petition was put to parliament on the issue and the official response can be found here:
Petition: Give parents the right to opt their child out of Relationship and Sex Education
Taken from the above link:
''In primary schools, we want the subjects to put in place the key building blocks of healthy, respectful relationships, focusing on family and friendships, both on and offline. At secondary, teaching will introduce age-appropriate knowledge about intimate relationships, including marriage and other forms of committed relationships, and sex.
Primary schools are not required to teach sex education but where they do cover elements of sex education other than those taught within the science national curriculum, this must be included in the school’s policy, which is subject to consultation with parents. This will make clear that all requests from parents to withdraw their child from sex education at primary will be automatically granted.’’
For the youngest of children, the LGBT element is simply a small part of the teaching regarding different family structures and not excluding others because their family make up is different - this will apply for those brought up in one parent households, by grandparents, those in care or in blended families etc etc.
The guidelines are part of a large shake up of teaching to make it relevant to the modern age and will cover topics a wide range of relationship and healthy behaviour topics:
Primary school
- Who are my family and the people who care about me
- How should I treat my friends and be a good friend
- How can I help my family at home
- How to be kind, even if they have different skin to me, or are disabled, or come from a different family.
- Importance of eating healthy foods and sleep
- limiting screen time and staying safe online
- learning that no one should touch them in private areas and they should always tell someone if they are scared or worried.
- Changes during puberty
secondary school
- How to stay safe online, to be aware of grooming and cyber bullying.
- How to use social media safely. To be aware of the risks in sending nude photos or videos, how any of the images you see are not true to life.
- How to understand and navigate inappropriate contentography if they see it. To know it is not a reflection of real life sex or that the practices shown are in any way mainstream. To apply tools of staying safe online so they dont see things they dont want to see.
- Positive body image, self esteem, knowing and understanding the range of what is ‘normal’
- the building blocks of healthy relationships, like consent, waiting until you are ready, having your own boundaries.
- Relationship red flags like coercion, domestic violence, manipulation, pressure to do things sexually.
- How their actions affect others if they bully, or exclude or sexually pressure someone
- Staying healthy, getting exercise, who to go to if you feel sad/depressed/need someone to talk to
