AQW 23110/17-22

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 24/09/2021
Answered On Date: 05/10/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education for an update on the development of a consistent approach to, and framework for, Relationship and Sexuality Education across all schools.

Answer:

Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is covered within the statutory Northern Ireland curriculum under the Personal Development and Mutual Understanding (primary) and the Learning for Life and Work (post-primary) Areas of Learning. This provides a standardised statutory minimum entitlement, which all children must legally receive.

As with all Areas of Learning, Boards of Governors of each school are responsible for ensuring that a comprehensive and age appropriate programme is taught, the standardised minimum content is covered.

Beyond the statutory minimum content, schools and teachers have the flexibility to decide the topics and approaches that best suit their pupils. The mandatory content is supplemented by a wide range of guidance and resources which have been produced by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations (CCEA) and Assessment and are available on its RSE Hub. CCEA is currently developing a Curricular Progression Framework which will clearly set out key issues to be considered at each Key Stage.

I have also asked my officials to work closely with key stakeholders to develop further guidance on the delivery of RSE and in particular the important issues raised by the Gillen Review