The UK government announced today that sex and relationships education is to become compulsory in English schools.

See the story here.

Dr Michael Wyness, Associate Professor in the University of Warwick's Centre for Education studies, comments:

"This legislation seems to reinforce earlier policy on sex education in schools. In one sense it goes against the ‘privatising’ trends within current educational policy with schools opting out of more centralised control.

"It will be interesting to see if faith schools and Multi-Academy Trusts are any more likely to prioritise sex education.

"In another important sense, it crystallises contemporary safeguarding, educational and social aspects of children’s lives. It provides a more robust frame of reference for all schools within which children learn and engage with issues relating to sex and sexual relationships."

1 March 2017

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Luke Walton, International Press Officer

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