Facts and morals to be separated in relationships, sex, and health education

Dec 13, 2019 by Jill

by Hattie Williams, Church Times

Church schools are given new guidelines on latest state requirements.

C OF E schools should “clearly differentiate between facts and morals” when carrying out the latest state requirements for relationships, sex, and health education (RSHE) in the UK, a new charter states.

The charter was released last month by the C of E’s education office in response to new legislation from the Government which states that, from September 2020, all primary schools will be required to teach relationships and health education. Secondary schools will be required to teach relationships and sex education.

The charter advises church schools to “clearly differentiate between factual teaching (biology, medicine, the law, marriage, different types of families, and the composition of society), and moral teaching about relationships and values, recognising that the distinction can be easily blurred and there needs to be discernment about the manner in which this is taught within a moral (but not moralistic) framework”.

This, it says, must be carried out in “a faith sensitive and inclusive way”, as advised by the Government. Church schools are also encouraged to commit themselves to working closely with parents and carers and delivering the programme with dignity and respect.

The charter commits schools to building “resilience in our pupils to help them form healthy relationships, to keep themselves safe and resist the harmful influence of pornography in all its forms”; to reflect the values of the school, but “not seek[ing] to teach only one moral position”; to meeting special needs and disabilities; and to seeking the views of pupils.

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