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Government consultation on relationships and sex education in English schools: have your say

40 replies

RowanMumsnet · 08/01/2018 12:20

Hello

As you may know, the Department for Education is gearing up to produce new guidance for schools in England on how to teach relationships and sex education, following the announcement that the subject will be compulsory in all schools (although parents will still be able to withdraw their children).

(As you may also know, Mumsnet has been calling for compulsory SRE in schools for some years now, based on the strength of MNer feeling on the issue.)

The DfE is now hosting a consultation to find out what parents and other stakeholders think should be included in the subject curriculum. It's in the form of a survey and takes about half an hour to complete: you can fill it in here.

You can read more about the background to the consultation here.

As ever, let us know what you think!

Thanks
MNHQ

OP posts:
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chickennuggetsandicecream · 08/01/2018 12:43

Will fill out !! As long as it's age appropriate to kids I think it could really benefit them x

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Bluelonerose · 08/01/2018 13:10

Fantastic they are finally addressing this.
I'm hoping there's a lot more about consent and the emotional side.

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Jassmells · 08/01/2018 14:34

Just completed it... a great opportunity let's hope they listen.
Listed my "priorities" as enabling primary school children to understand their bodies and their rights over their body and for secondary school consent and empowering girls, alongside all digital concerns.

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grasspigeons · 08/01/2018 15:52

This is a bit specialist for me. I don't have informed views or evidence to support them.

I just want all children to understand bodily autonomy, more specific consent, sexual health and reproduction and how to keep themselves safe online

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madeyemoodysmum · 08/01/2018 16:21

All done.

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RoseNarene · 08/01/2018 17:23

I'm a secondary teacher and this is long overdue. They need to do consent, sexting and body image to name a few.

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Jassmells · 08/01/2018 17:53

@grasspigeons I don't have "evidence" either but when I read the full document I think in a way our thoughts are the evidence, just say what you feel.

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AriadneThread · 08/01/2018 19:41

Agree with you all. Sorely overdue. Ridiculous that parents can take kids out of SRE! Hopefully it's more than putting a a condom on a cricket stump like we had. I'd like kids to know what normal bodies and sex look like and that porn is fake.

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megletthesecond · 08/01/2018 22:16

Marking my place so i remember to look at it in the day time.

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Anyhope · 09/01/2018 00:08

Brilliant much needed and in workplaces etc

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EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans · 09/01/2018 05:31

Done this. I listed all the most worrying bits of the Crown Prosecution Service Schools Project as a place to start work.

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PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 09/01/2018 22:22

Done. Xmas Grin

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MrsFogi · 09/01/2018 22:56

Done it - I've listed the following as my main concerns for secondary schools:

  1. consent;
  2. empowering girls and body image - what normal bodies and sex look like and that porn is fake.
  3. all digital concerns - sexting, social media etc.
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GreyMorning · 10/01/2018 07:57

Maybe explain to children that not everyone gets pregnant easily, there's a huge emphasis on how it's so easy to accidental get pregnant that infertility issues are never discussed.

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Capelin · 10/01/2018 08:19

Halfway through (will return later to complete it) - an excellent opportunity to address issues like consent, respect and porn.

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Kimlek · 10/01/2018 17:10

Done.

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SingingSeuss · 10/01/2018 22:03

Done. Consent a Biggie as is grooming/ abuse, domestic violence.

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MuggleMum · 11/01/2018 05:58

@grasspigeons Please do complete the consultation. Your thinking is spot on - consent and bodily autonomy are massive issues.

I say this as the mother of a 16 year old raped by a 15 year old from her school. I begged the Governors to teach about consent to prevent it happening again, and they told me that they were already giving children the best advice: wait until you are married. The Governor said that to me, as the mother of a rape victim. Unbelievable. That's why we all need to scream for mandatory and comprehensive teaching around bodily autonomy in primary and sexual consent in secondary.

Please ask all your friends and relations to complete.

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Lanaorana2 · 11/01/2018 13:55

Major on the fact that never, in any culture or country, has rape or sexual harassment been acceptable, contrary to what you might think. It (still) isn't. For either sex.

Go in hard on the reality of male rape, not just because it's underreported, but because it gets the message across that, believe it or not, while men are always the bad guys, they can be victims too.

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80sQueen · 13/01/2018 10:15

It interesting that we also don't talk about the cases of professionals eg. Teachers, sexually abusing children expecially boys. How children should deal with this. The threat of CSE is sometimes within what should safe places

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woman11017 · 13/01/2018 16:46

porn is fake

It usually consists of films of penniless mums, daughters and sisters?

I have it on good authority that girls are being taught that 'men need pornography'. in PSE in one English school, this academic year.

Is teaching boys and girls that boys 'need pornography' with the obvious implications for girls and women, government policy?

Maybe famous pornography men should be shown to them to warn boys of how they could end up?

Government consultation on relationships and sex education in English schools: have your say
Government consultation on relationships and sex education in English schools: have your say
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woman11017 · 13/01/2018 17:06

Having looked at the gov doc results, I would suggest:

Teach girls laws and protocol on consent; the history of feminism; the mechanics of sex; how to access contraception and self defence.

Teach boys the history of feminism; the mechanics of sex and contraception; protocol for consent; laws on consent.

For bi and gay students; the history of bi and gay rights; laws on consent.

STD and how to avoid should be taught to all.

The laws, economic and politics of the sexual exploitation industry including 'sexting' pornography and prostitution would be useful for older kids to know too.

How to be pregnant, give birth and how to look after your new baby having just survive 'labour' would seem more than useful.

Unless sex and maternity are distinct phenomena.

Like in the Huxley text?

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mcdog · 14/01/2018 08:54

I am a specialist school nurse. In the secondary schools that I cover, all the children by the end of Yr10 have been taught awareness of the following:

CSE
Contraception
Consent ++++
Anatomically correct names for body parts
The law
STI's
Healthy relationships
Domestic abuse in teenage relationships
Rights and responsibilities over age 16

It makes me really sad that these are statutory in all schools. And even sadder that parents can withdraw their children from these classes.

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woman11017 · 14/01/2018 11:29

That is really useful thank you mcdog
Is pregnancy and child birth and parenthood not covered?
(It used to be in the 1970s!)

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mcdog · 14/01/2018 20:01

@woman11017, the "mechanics" of sex and childbirth are covered by the schools, but I do 1:1 work with children who need a more tailored approach.

No idea about childcare I'm afraid!! I didn't know this used to be taught, I was at secondary in the 90's and it wasn't. Unless you took it as an option at college post 16.

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