New RSE Guidance for Schools in England

It doesn’t seem all that long ago that RHE or RSHE was made statutory for schools in England but a lot has happened in the past four years. The Department for Education, in its recently published statutory guidance acknowledges that:

…the world in which children are growing up has become increasingly complex, both online and in the day-to-day, and that is having a profound effect on their lives, including how they build relationships.

At this stage, the new guidance is still a draft and we are now in a consultation period. All stakeholders have been invited to share their views on the proposed changes via an online survey. This survey will remain open until 11th July 2024.

Goverment Consultation

This article looks at some of the key proposed changes or additions.

Introduction of age limits

The Government plans to introduce several statutory age restrictions for the teaching of certain topics. For example, sex education should not occur until Years 5 & 6, mirroring the science National Curriculum. They also say that FGM should not be taught before Year 9, although they allow an exception to be made where schools have identified a greater risk of FGM at an earlier age or if the school has pupils who have been affected by FGM and need support. With this in mind, two versions of the ‘Types of Abuse’ session in UKS2 are currently still available (one with FGM content and the other without).

The draft guidance says:

Schools should seek to follow these age limits at all times. However, flexibility may be necessary in order to respond promptly to issues that pose an imminent safeguarding risk to their pupils. In certain circumstances, schools may decide to teach age-limited topics earlier, provided it is necessary to do so in order to safeguard pupils and provided that teaching is limited to the essential facts, without going into unnecessary detail. Parents must be informed in these cases and appropriate safeguarding measures put in place.

Here at Ten Ten Resources, whilst providing a fully resourced scheme of work, we have always encouraged schools to adapt the programme to meet the needs of their particular cohort. In consultation with parents, individual schools have the knowledge and understanding of their pupils enabling them to make the important decisions around when it is appropriate to teach certain topics.

The new guidance indicates that if schools judge that certain topics should be taught sooner than the statutory recommendation, then safeguarding measures and informing parents should be part of that decision.

LGBTQ+ and Gender Reassignment

The statutory provision says that pupils must be taught about the legally ‘protected’ characteristics by the end of secondary school and that this includes gender reassignment and sexual orientation.

The guidance states that primary schools have discretion over whether to discuss families with same-sex parents or sexual orientation. However, these should be taught as part of the secondary curriculum.

The updated guidance is clear that schools should not teach about the ‘broader concept of gender identity’ and that caution should be exercised around this ‘highly contested and complex subject’. In our resources, while we talk about the relationship between gender and identity, we only do so in the context of explaining gender dysphoria or gender reassignment. Separate guidance has been issued (in draft form) to schools about support for gender-questioning pupils. The consultation period closed on 12 March. Our article exploring this more is available on the Hub.

How do we address these two protected characteristics within our programmes?

Life to the Full Primary refers to families with same-sex parents and it is at the discretion of the teacher whether this is discussed further within the session.

Life to the Full Plus has a classroom short in which the idea of gender identity is introduced with a clear explanation of what it means to experience gender dysphoria. This requires a Key Decision and is not part of the statutory RHE curriculum.

Gender dysphoria is discussed in the Year 8 session Appreciating Differences in Life to the Full Secondary.

In the new content we are developing for Life to the Full Secondary we are working on giving a more diverse representation of young people and of their views, including around sexuality.

We will be paying close attention to the final guidance and will continue to ensure our programmes are fully in line with statutory requirements.

Transparency for Parents

The new RSE guidance states that ‘Parents are the first educators of their children, and schools should make sure parents are aware of what is being taught in RSHE’. This principle and the concept of transparency for parents is nothing new for Ten Ten Resources. Parents already have access to the programme via the Online Parent Portal, mentioned with the new guidance as best practice. We also, on request, allow all parents to access the complete programme for three weeks.

We encourage schools to regularly update and consult with parents about what their children are taught in RSE. After consultation with parents and governors, primary schools can decide which of the seven Key Decisions they feel appropriate to include within the schools’ RSHE curriculum.

Parents in England do still have the right to withdraw their children from Sex Education, a right that does not apply in Wales. The guidance states:

Parents have the right to request that their child be withdrawn from some or all of sex education delivered as part of statutory RSE. Pupils are not able to request to withdraw. Parents do not have the right to withdraw their pupils from topics taught as part of the science curriculum, including science topics related to puberty or sexual reproduction.

New Topics

The Draft Guidance for RSHE includes several new topics or ones to be expanded upon. The guidance makes the point that:

There will be a range of opinions regarding topics within RSE. The starting principle should be that any applicable law should be taught in a factual way so that pupils are clear on their rights and responsibilities as citizens. Pupils should understand that the age of criminal responsibility is ten.

These new topics include:

Suicide prevention
Sexual harassment and sexual violence
Loneliness
The prevalence of ‘deepfakes’
Healthy behaviours during pregnancy
Illegal online behaviours including drug and knife supply
The facts about the risks of vaping
Menstrual and gynaecological health including endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and heavy menstrual bleeding.

As you will know, we regularly update our programmes and continually develop our resources to ensure they are in line with statutory requirements, engaging and accessible. Once the final guidance is published we will ensure that these additional topics are covered or changes made.

Schools of a religious nature

Finally, it is good to know that the guidance for schools of a religious nature remains pretty much unchanged from the 2021 curriculum. The new draft guidance states:

All schools may teach about faith perspectives on these topics. In particular, schools with a religious character may teach their distinctive faith perspective on relationships, and balanced debate may take place about issues that are contentious. For example, the school may wish to reflect on faith teachings about certain topics as well as how their faith institutions may support people in matters of relationships and sex. However, where RE is delivered in conjunction with RSHE, schools should ensure that content is differentiated for pupils so that it is clear where they are being taught content that reflects religious belief.

We are looking forward to the publication of the final guidance and will keep you updated on changes to our content that we will make in response.

Don’t forget that if you have any questions about Life to the Full or any of our other programmes we are always happy to help. You can get in touch via our website or contact@tentenresources.co.uk.

Related content:

Transitions

Life to the Full Plus includes a session on Transition for each phase, helping your pupils get ready for the new class or new school.

Programme Update for Secondary Schools (LTTF)

New Year 10 lessons and videos, and changes to the programme structure

Made in God’s Image

What does it really mean?

Human Dignity and the Protected Characteristics

What insights does the recent declaration on human dignity offer for teachers of RSE?

Year 9 New Content

Over the past term, we have uploaded seven brand new Life to the Full sessions for Year 9.

The Heart of the Matter

What can Pope Francis’s encyclical Dilexis Nos teach us about Catholic RSE?

Statement from Ten Ten Resources

A recent negative assessment of our Life to the Full programme by the organisation Voice of the Family has prompted us to reflect again on our vision and mission.

Life to the Full

Changing Hearts and Minds with Creative Catholic Content

Let’s Talk About Smartphones

It’s hard to miss the numerous news articles, social media posts, documentaries and books discussing the impact of smartphones on the lives of young people.

AI and Education

What Artificial Intelligence means for schools and pupils

What’s new for 2024-2025 from Ten Ten Resources?

Read about the latest subscription news and updates

Pupil Voice on Screen

We’re developing Life to the Full Secondary!

Misogyny and Life to the Full Secondary

Making sense of misogyny

How stories change the world

This month we are exploring one of Ten Ten’s key principles - the belief that stories have the power to change hearts and minds.

Blessings for Same-Sex Couples

What the recent Vatican Declaration says…

Gender Questioning Children in Schools and RSHE

Exploring the new draft Government guidance

Gearing up for Inspection

How Life to the Full can help you get ready

Where to find resources that support safeguarding…

… in Life to the Full and Life to the Full Plus!

70 Classroom Shorts…and counting!

There are now over 70 Classroom Shorts uploaded on the website for our Life to the Full Plus subscribers!

How to talk to your child about… pornography

A session for parents and carers

7 Key Areas For Consideration in Life to the Full Primary

Read more about how we have expanded our Key Decisions across the Life to the Full programme

Why is pornography a problem?

On Thursday 19th October 2023 Ten Ten Resources will be live-streaming a discussion session for parents and carers of children in KS2 and KS3 on the subject of pornography. Commissioned by the Catholic Education Service, this session is available free of charge and will be live streamed at 9.15am, 3.30pm and 6.00pm. Here, Ten Ten’s CPD Leader Nicola Sweetman tells us why parents should be encouraged to discuss pornography with their children.

What’s new for Life to the Full Primary?

Keep track of the latest changes in Life to the Full/Plus

What’s new for Life to the Full Secondary?

Useful updates and reminders as you begin the new term

Action! Filming LTTF Plus

We’re having a blast filming LTTF Plus, thanks to our schools!

1010.Academy is now live!

Bonus Material for Year 10 students now available

Subscription Packages and Loyalty Discounts for 2023/4

Discover how bundling your Life to the Full, CPD and Collective Worship subscriptions will give you amazing savings!

Life to the Full Plus – How it Fits

How our new add-on integrates with Life to the Full Primary?

Build Others Up

Find out more about our new anti-bullying resource for Life to the Full…

An Interview with… Rod Isaacs

How to get the most out of Life to the Full for Post-16 pupils

Change in age for marriage and civil partnerships

What has changed in the law and how is it reflected in LTTF Secondary?

New Year Opportunities for CPD

Last chance for 50% discount on CPD…

New content: ‘FGM’ and ‘Death and Grief’

Find out more about our new resources ‘FGM’ and ‘Death and Grief’ for Life to the Full, along with important guidance for SLT and class teachers…

“How many times do you need to be reminded?”

What is a spiral curriculum and how can the Life to the Full programme be considered one?

CPD for December and Beyond

A Time for Prayer and Reflection

Too busy for Christmas?

Make time to pause - come and join us for our Advent Retreat!

CPD – Watch again

Did you know that we now have a ‘watch again’ function for our CPD sessions?

World Mental Health Day

How to talk about feelings with children and young people

Sycamore Conference

Do you use Sycamore Resources with your Year 12 and 13 students?

October CPD

Find out what CPD sessions we have coming up this month…

A rubbish dump, a beautiful lady and some old bones…

What do these three things have in common?

Life to the Full Primary: Is it PSHE?

We are often asked: “Does ‘Life to the Full’ cover the national curriculum for PSHE?” This is a question which doesn’t have a simple yes/no answer!

Is Your School In Wales?

If the answer is ‘yes’, then you may be interested to learn how we are working with the Catholic Education Service Wales to help you implement the new statutory Guidance and Code for RSE.

St Bernadette Relics Tour and Ten Ten Resources

We are delighted to be an official partner of the St Bernadette Relics Tour…

Should Schools Consult With Parents About RSHE Every Year?

Let’s have a look at what the DfE says and how you can fulfil this through your ‘Life to the Full’ subscription…

The Real Mo Farah…

…and how you can explore the real issues of human trafficking with students.

CPD Sessions for the Start of the New Academic Year…

Whether you need to familiarise returning staff with programme updates or you need to get new staff up to speed, we’ve got sessions for you starting on 1st September...

LTTF Primary – Programme Coordinator Manual

Find out more about the document updates…

New Year, New Website

Watch our series of video tutorials to help you get started…

Hub Highlights

Looking back over this academic year, we’ve had so many great articles to share with you through the Teacher Hub that we’ve decided to compile some of the most popular to share with you again in case you missed them the first time round!

What’s New For 2022-23?

The first thing you will notice at the start of the new academic year is that we will have a new website. We have been working with some wonderful website designers and developers to address some of the key issues that our users have fed back. We hope that our new website will improve your user experience and the way you access the content.

Have You Seen Our New CPD Package?

Due to the amazing success of our CPD events this year, we are delighted to announce…

The Feast of Pentecost

Getting To Know The Lesser Known Person of the Holy Trinity

Ideas For Funding Your Ten Ten Resources Subscription

Is renewing your Ten Ten Resources subscription a difficult decision because of financial challenges?

Now Is The Time To Resubscribe

Find out how to renew your subscription here… Did you know that most Life to the Full subscriptions expire on 31st July 2022? It is the same case with the majority of Combined Collective Worship and Life to the Full subscriptions. To maintain access and to prepare for the new academic year in September, schools need to renew.

Iron Sharpens Iron

A skills sharing forum for teachers of Life to the Full.

Natural Family Planning: Myths and Misconceptions

What might a Catholic say to the argument that Natural Family Planning (NFP) is still a couple ‘playing God’, albeit in a more natural way than using contraception?

The Law and DIY Abortions

The phrase ‘DIY abortion’ might conjure up tragic images from times before abortion was legalised; characterised by fear, judgement of ‘unfeeling’ or ‘promiscuous’ women and a lack of understanding or communication about changing attitudes towards sex. A particularly harrowing episode of ‘Call the Midwife’ involving a backstreet abortion springs to mind. Now, more than 50 years on, have things changed?

‘It is love that has explained everything to me’

‘It is love that has explained everything to me,’ is a quotation from St John Paul II, but what did teachers from around the country think about learning about his Theology of the Body?

Communicating with Parents About RSHE

What does the Government and the Church say about engaging with parents about RSHE and how does Ten Ten Resources enable schools to support parents?

Keeping Children Safe in Education – Secondary Schools

In January we shared an article for primary schools on ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’. We’ve since had requests for an article for our secondary school colleagues, so here it is…

#PrayforUkraine

In response to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, we have created a prayer resource freely available for use in schools across the country.

Warning Children About Pornography

How young is too young to warn children about pornography?

Human Trafficking – Sixth Form Resource

It’s hard to believe that slavery exists in our modern world…

Religion Is Booming On Social Media

Two thousand years before social media was a ‘thing’ Jesus was trend setting and getting people to follow Him!

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Many of our colleagues in primary schools have been keen to know …

A Time To Be Born And A Time To Die

To coincide with ‘National Grief Awareness Week’ (2 – 8 December) we are releasing two new bereavement resources for use in primary schools.

(The Pope’s) Sex Education

No, this isn’t the Pope’s exclusive review of the popular Netflix series ‘Sex Education’.

Ten Ten’s Guidance on Protected Characteristics

Ten Ten has published guidance which provides a summary of the expectation on schools to teach about the Protected Characteristics and guidance on how we support Catholic primary and secondary schools in this teaching through our programme, Life to the Full.

Standard vs Super

If you came here expecting an in-depth character analysis of Clark Kent and Superman across the entire franchise, I’m afraid you’ll be sorely disappointed. (Sorry-not-sorry about the deliberately misleading picture and title).

One Kind Word

Bullying is not funny, I think we’d all agree on that. Therefore, I was quite surprised to find that bullying related humour is a thing!

My Three Confessions…

My friends and family sometimes say that I share too much too soon, so maybe it’s too soon to share these confessions after only working with Ten Ten Resources for four months.

Engaging Parents

Last month we launched our exciting new CPD programme.

The Power of Stories

Have you seen the new Bond movie yet?

Addressing Gender Stereotypes

“Hmmm… it looks like a tampax advert!” This was the response of my male friend (on more than one occasion!) when we were discussing the colours on a poster for events we were organising at university.

Key Decisions

In creating the Life to the Full programme we have tried to pitch the resources at an age-appropriate level for children within each learning stage.

New CPD Courses

We are delighted to announce that we have created a number of exciting new CPD opportunities for both subscribers and non-subscribers in the areas of Collective Worship and RSHE.

New Year 11 Programme

Starting with ‘Self Worth’ on Monday 6th September, our new Year 11 resources are ready for gradual release over the coming weeks.

Relationship Watch

There’s something in us all that is intrigued by human relationships - how they work, how they don’t, and how they thrive or nose-dive under certain pressures of life.

Progression of Skills Documents & More

All around the world this week, people have been amazed and inspired by Zheng Tao, arguably one of the most skillful athletes to walk the face of the earth.

Cookie	Duration	Description
__stripe_mid	1 year	Stripe sets this cookie cookie to process payments.
__stripe_sid	30 minutes	Stripe sets this cookie cookie to process payments.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement	1 year	Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
CookieLawInfoConsent	1 year	Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.
JSESSIONID	session	The JSESSIONID cookie is used by New Relic to store a session identifier so that New Relic can monitor session counts for an application.
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Cookie	Duration	Description
_ga	2 years	The _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
_gat_gtag_UA_62835298_2	1 minute	Set by Google to distinguish users.
_gid	1 day	Installed by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
vuid	10 years	Vimeo installs this cookie to collect tracking information by setting a unique ID to embed videos to the website.