Relationships, sex and PSHE education
The Education Acts of 1996 and 2002 and the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 set out schools' current duties in relation to the teaching of sex education and PSHE. Section 80 of the Education Act 2002 currently imposes a duty on maintained secondary and maintained special secondary schools to provide sex education for all registered pupils at these schools. Sections 403 to 405 of the Education Act 1996 set out further conditions when sex education is taught including the requirement for governing bodies and head teachers to have regard to the Secretary of State’s guidance, to make, and keep up to date, a separate written statement of their policy with regard to the provision of sex education and for a pupil to be excused from receiving sex education. Paragraph 2(2)(d) of Schedule 1 of the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 currently places a requirement on Independent schools (not including Academies) to teach PSHE.