New Government guidance on Relationships, Sex, and Health Education (RSHE) was published this week (15th July 2025), giving schools until 1st September 2026 to implement the changes. The new guidance places ‘pupil engagement’ top of a list of guiding principles, with parent/carer engagement and transparency, ‘positivity’, and a whole school approach also featuring.
Children are being increasingly exposed to harmful content online, including misogynistic attitudes and unhealthy views about relationships. The new guidance will help teachers navigate these challenges and support children to develop positive attitudes. This includes a focus on building healthy relationship skills from the start of primary school, and building on this as children progress through their school years. The guidance also includes emphasis on opening conversations with young people about positive masculinity and femininity and ensuring that nobody is stigmatised during these conversations. Throughout the curriculum content there is also a focus on supporting children and young people to develop positive self-esteem and independence, and to have a positive relationship with themselves.
When it comes to sex education, the guidance is clear that teaching about sexual ethics must go beyond teaching about consent, so that young people understand how to act with kindness and respect in all of their relationships. In terms of sexual health pupils should be well equipped to understand the range of contraception available, how to access services, and to know about different STIs and testing.
The importance of ‘skilled delivery’ is backed by the announcement of training grants, which schools will be able to apply for from early 2026, to help their staff tackle these challenges with confidence.
You can find out more information about RSE here:
Healthy relationships & RSE – Devon Schools Wellbeing Partnership
Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education guidance
New RSHE guidance: what parents need to know – The Education Hub
Search for Free Teaching Resources | Page 1 of 2 | Oak National Academy
Get in touch with us: dswp@devon.gov.uk