Dear SPUC supporter,

The new compulsory subjects of Relationships Education in primary schools and Relationships & Sex Education (RSE) in secondary schools, officially came into force in ALL schools in England in September 2020. The new regulations state that parents must be consulted before the governing body of a school makes its RSE policy.

However, due to the Coronavirus lockdown and related disruptions to the work of schools, the Government allowed schools the flexibility to delay full delivery of the new subjects until Spring 2021, so that they could be properly prepared, including allowing more time for them to hold the required parental consultations.

Unfortunately, the extra burdens facing schools have only continued because of the ongoing pandemic. As you know, schools are once again closed.  

Consequently, many schools have still either not been able to hold the required parental consultations or the process of consultation has been severely disrupted or curtailed. 

This is no time to introducing new compulsory subjects to the curriculum, especially ones of such a controversial and sensitive nature, which require careful consultation and planning.

Dangers

It is all the more dangerous that parental consultations have been jeopardised, because parents no longer have the automatic right to withdraw their children from the new subjects.
 
Parents should not have any form of Relationships and Sex Education foisted upon their children without being properly consulted.
 
The Safe at School ‘Important Information for Parents’ will give you more information about the new compulsory subjects and the dangers to children and families.

Action

Please email or write to your MP to ask him/her to call on the Secretary of State for Education to delay the implementation of the compulsory new subjects until the new academic year (September 2021) and until full and meaningful consultations with parents have taken place. Please also ask for the right of parents to withdraw their children from RSE to be reinstated. 
 
Please forward this email to parents and others likely to be concerned, and also please send your MP’s reply to [email protected] 

With all good wishes,



Dr Tom Rogers
Safe at School