Birds, bees and bans: what primary pupils are taught

Rishi Sunak’s government is reported to be planning a ban on children being taught about gender identity and having “explicit” conversations about sex before the age of 13.

- ANDY GREGORY

In an apparent doubling down on so-called culture war issues, the government is reportedly set to publish new guidance on when children should be offered sex education, with schools required to provide parents with samples of the material their children will be taught.

The guidance will tell teachers to focus on “biological” facts about sex, warning that ministers view gender identity as a contested subject, and will ban all sex education until year five, when children are aged nine or over, according to a series of reports.

From year five, lessons are to focus simply on conception and birth, with no explicit discussions of sexual acts until they are 13 and over, The Times reports. Children would also not be taught about contraception, sexually transmitted infections, and abortion until this age.

The new guidance – expected to be set out by education secretary Gillian Keegan – is said to be part of the government’s response following concerns that some children are receiving age-inappropriate relationships, sex and health education (RSHE).

Mr Sunak commissioned a review into the curriculum last March to “ensure that schools are not teaching inappropriate or contested content” in RHSE lessons, after hearing concerns – including from Conservative MPs – that children were receiving sex education lessons at too young an age.

What are children currently taught at what age?

RSHE was made mandatory in all schools in England from September 2020, with current guidance outlining broad lesson modules on what primary and secondary pupils should be taught about families and healthy relationships – without breaking up the curriculum by key stage, year group or age.