Teaching about relationships, sex and health
Support and training materials for schools to help train teachers on relationships, sex and health education.
Applies to England
From September 2020 all schools must consider the statutory guidance when teaching relationships, sex and health education.
Working with , we have developed these training modules to help schools:
- improve teacher knowledge and confidence when teaching this curriculum
- develop and plan their curriculum
At all times when developing curriculum and teaching relationships, sex and health education, maintained schools must comply with their duties under the 1996 Education Act regarding political impartiality. The local authority, governing body and head teacher must:
- forbid the pursuit of partisan political activities by junior pupils
- forbid the promotion of partisan political views in the teaching of any subject in the school
- take reasonably practicable steps to secure that where political issues are brought to the attention of pupils, they are offered a balanced presentation of opposing views
You should be aware that the meaning of political issues does not refer solely to the discussion of party politics. Schools are advised to consider the range of issues on which there could be political views, which may include global affairs, equalities issues, religion and economics.
The Independent School Standards, which apply to all independent schools (and most of which apply to academies) have similar provisions relating to the promotion of partisan political views and offering a balanced presentation of opposing views.
Develop your curriculum
We are providing information to help school leaders plan and develop their curriculum to make sure it follows the new statutory guidance.
This includes guidance on:
- curriculum planning
- creating an inclusive classroom
- developing a policy for the new curriculum
- adapting an existing programme of study
Engaging with parents and carers
When planning your curriculum, you must engage parents and carers about your relationships and sex education curriculum. It is important that you set out your approach to the subjects fully and clearly. See engaging parents with relationships education policy for more information. Although aimed at primary schools, much of this guide is applicable to secondary schools.
Consider using our guides for parents to help communicate with them about the new curriculum and what it includes.
When planning their curriculum, state-funded schools should be mindful of the requirement under the Human Rights Act 1998 to respect the right of parents to ensure education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions, and all schools should be mindful of their duties under the Equality Act 2010.
Train teachers on relationships, sex and health education
We have designed these training modules so subject leads or other staff members can train groups of teachers in a variety of ways.
Each module contains:
- key knowledge and facts to help teach the statutory guidance
- activities and templates to help run a training session
- guidance to help teachers tackle difficult questions
The training modules have been split into different topics within the curriculum. You should adapt the slides and activities to fit your school.
Several of these topics are closely related, you should consider this when planning your curriculum and lesson plans.
Primary teacher training modules
Basic first aid
This training module includes information on making an emergency call and concepts of basic first aid.
Being safe
This training module includes information on boundaries, privacy and feeling unsafe and asking for help and support.
Caring friendships
This training module includes information on ways of making and choosing friends, online friendships, working through problems and the characteristics of friendships.
Changing adolescent body
This training module includes information on physical and emotional changes in puberty, including menstrual wellbeing.
Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
This training module includes information on legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks.
Families and people who care for me
This training module includes information on the different types of family, healthy family life and marriage.
Health and prevention
This training module includes information on signs of physical illness, sun safety, sleep, dental health, personal hygiene and allergies.
Healthy eating
This training module includes information on a healthy diet, understanding calories, planning healthy meals and the impacts of unhealthy diets.
Internet safety and harms
This training module includes information on internet use, rationing and risk, online relationships, privacy and understanding online information.
Mental wellbeing
This training module includes information on talking about emotions, self-care techniques, isolation and loneliness, the impact of bullying and getting help and support.
Online relationships
This training module includes information on understanding how people behave online, cyberbullying and keeping safe online.
Physical health and fitness
This training module includes information on active lifestyles, the benefits of physical activity and the risks of an inactive lifestyle.
Respectful relationships
This training module includes information on bullying, stereotypes and the importance of respect.
Secondary teacher training modules
Basic first aid
This training module includes information on basic treatment for common injuries, life-saving skills including CPR and understanding defibrillators.
Being safe
This training module includes information on consent and communicating consent, sexual consent, abuse rape and sexual assault, honour-based violence and forced marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), grooming coercion and harassment.
Changing adolescent body
This training module includes information on physical and emotional changes in puberty, including menstrual wellbeing.
Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
This training module includes information on legal and illegal drugs and their associated risks, and laws relating to these substances.
Families
This training module includes information on committed relationships, unsafe relationships, marriage, civil partnerships and cohabitation.
Health and prevention
This training module includes information on personal hygiene, dental health, immunisation and vaccination, sleep, self-examination and screening.
Healthy eating
This training module includes information on understanding our diet, healthy eating choices and poor diet and health risks.
Internet safety and harms
This training module includes information on social media and reality, gambling, influencers, targeted advertising and accessing support.
Intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health
This training module includes information on healthy intimate relationships, sexual consent and the law, fertility and reproduction, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), contraception and sexual health advice.
Mental wellbeing
This training module includes information on talking about emotions, types of mental ill-health, understanding anxiety and positive wellbeing factors.
Online and media
This training module includes information on using appropriate language online, online behaviour and risks, sharing material online, harmful online content and pornography.
Physical health and fitness
This training module includes information on healthy lifestyles, the risks of an inactive lifestyle, the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, mental wellbeing and activity and blood, organ and stem cell donation.
Respectful relationships, including friendships
This training module includes information on healthy friendships, rights and responsibilities regarding equality, damaging stereotypes, bullying, and criminal behaviour in relationships.
Pupils with SEND
In special schools and for some pupils with special educational needs or disability (SEND) in mainstream schools, you may need to tailor content and teaching to meet the specific needs of pupils at different developmental stages.
For pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan, you might want to link lesson outcomes with statutory preparing for adulthood outcomes. See SEND code of practice, section 8 for more information about preparing for adulthood.
You should make sure that your teaching is:
- sensitive
- age-appropriate
- developmentally appropriate
- delivered with reference to the law
The training module on should help you:
- understand your duties regarding SEND and relationships, sex and health education
- recognise some of the challenges pupils with SEND may face in these subjects
- appreciate some of the approaches you might take to mitigate these challenges
Updates to this page
Published 24 September 2020Last updated 16 March 2021 + show all updates
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Added a link to the being safe training module which we've now published. We have also added a training module on teaching RSHE to pupils with SEND.
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Added a link to the new teacher training module on families.
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Added links to teacher training modules on healthy eating and physical health and fitness.
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First published.