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Relationships, sex and health education (RSHE): current requirements

Understand the requirements for primary and secondary schools, in place until September 2026. Find out what you're expected to cover and understand parents' right to withdraw their children from sex education.

Last reviewed on 8 May 2025
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Contents
  1. Your requirements
  2. Pupils can be withdrawn from sex education
  3. How Ofsted will inspect RSE 
  4. Expectations for what pupils should know 
  5. Faith schools

The DfE has updated the statutory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) guidance:

  • You must follow the new guidance from September 2026, but you can begin implementing it earlier if you wish (this is laid out on page 4 of the DfE's consultation outcome, and was confirmed to us by a DfE representative)
  • The current RSHE guidance is still in force and you can choose to follow it until 31 August 2026 

This article sets out the requirements of the current guidance still in place. Find out the requirements of the new RSHE guidance in our other article.

You can also see our summary of the headline changes.

Your requirements

All schools with a secondary phase (including all-through and middle schools) need to provide:

  • Relationships and sex education (RSE)
  • Health education

This is set out on page 10 the DfE's statutory guidance on RSHE (for teaching until 31 August 2026). 

You must have an RSE policy

Consult parents/carers to develop and review it Publish your RSE policy on your