Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Watch: Sunak faces Starmer in PMQs as sex education set to be axed for under 9s

Holly Patrick
Wednesday 15 May 2024 15:15 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.

Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.

Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.

Head shot of Louise Thomas

Louise Thomas

Editor

Watch as Rishi Sunak faced Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, 15 May, as age limits are set to be imposed for the first time on when children can be taught about sex education.

According to a report in the Times, schools will be told not to teach children any form of sex education until year 5, when pupils are aged nine.

Education secretary Gillian Keegan is also set to announce measures preventing children from being taught they can change their gender identity, and rules out any explicit conversations about sex until they are aged 13, the newspaper said.

Lessons about contraception, sexually transmitted infections, and abortion would also not be taught until this age.

The new proposals would not make "that much of a difference," an education expert told the BBC.

Rebecca Leek, head of the Suffolk Primary Headteachers' Association, told Radio 4's Today programme that sex education is usually not taught in schools until pupils are in year six and parents are able to withdraw their children if they want to.

Existing guidance says primary school-aged children should be taught about different types of families and healthy relationships, while those in secondary school should be taught more complex topics such as puberty, sexual relationships, consent, unsafe relationships, and online harms.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in