Government plans that will see compulsory sex education being taught
to children as young as four have been deemed “abhorrent” by a Catholic
charity.The move to overhaul sex education in schools comes after a group of 23 Conservative MPs backed a change to the law that would see Sex and Relationship Education made a compulsory part of the National Curriculum.
Under present legislation, sex education is compulsory in local-authority run schools but is limited to biology lessons.
Faith and free schools do not have to provide sex education under the current rulings.
The changes to the law will see pupils being taught about consent, how to recognise abuse in relationships and how to protect themselves from online grooming.
But Catholic charity Life has taken a cautious approach to the decision.
Life’s Education Director Anne Scanlan said: “We have to question what the Government defines as sex education. If it is sex and relationships education in which the emphasis is on relationships, the teaching of self-esteem and self-respect, the avoidance of early pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, then we would support its delivery.”
But Scanlan also maintained that it should be left up to schools to define the content of sex education classes and at what age children are expected to take part in the lessons.
MPs backing the changes to the curriculum argue that failure to teach sex education in school can lead to “young people developing a sense that sexual harassment and sexual violence are acceptable behaviours and learning social norms that are carried through to adult life.”
A No 10 spokesman said: “The department will be saying more than this in due course. High quality relationship and sex education is an important part of preparing young people for adult life.”