A leading academic from the University of Worcester has published a new book on relationships and sex education (RSE) that will support teachers in delivering the government’s latest statutory guidance on the subject.
On Wednesday night (March 27) the latest guidance, the first update to the RSE curriculum since 2000, was voted through in the House of Commons by 538 votes to 21. The new guidance has drawn criticism from some parents and faith groups who feel the emphasis on diverse forms of caring in relationships contravenes their right to choose what their children learn about and when.
But Dr Richard Woolley, Deputy Head of the University of Worcester’s School of Education, who co-authored the new book – Relationships and Sex Education 3-11 – with Dr Sacha Mason from Bishop Grosseteste University, said an inclusive approach to RSE is a vital part of a child’s education in the 21st century:
“Parents are the primary educators of their children in this area, you can’t take that away,” he said. “But if you’re thinking about a safe and structured environment for learning, a school is a good place to learn about these issues. We must also be mindful that not every child benefits from a loving parent.
“Ultimately what we are talking about here is people who care for each other in different ways. We are not trying to push a particular perspective here, that would be inappropriate. We are just trying to share information about the world. If you have a little knowledge, you can understand each other’s differences, and with understanding comes respect.
When the new guidance on RSE was initially debated in Parliament last week, one of the key issues identified was a lack of appropriate evidence-based resources. Dr Woolley hopes his and Dr Mason’s new book, which specifically considers different approaches to teaching RSE in the primary sector, will help to fill that void:
“The new guidance requires schools to develop their own policies on RSE,” he said, “and this book can help with that. It provides support for teachers who need to develop policies in-school. It also has a lot to offer trainee teachers and those studying education pre-qualification.
“In 2016, 91% of the final-year trainee teachers I surveyed in England said they were worried about an aspect of teaching RSE,” he added. “At the University of Worcester, inclusive approaches to teaching RSE are an integral part of all our primary teacher training programmes.
“A resource like our new book can really help equip trainee teachers with the understanding they need. If you have considered different approaches to RSE in advance, it is not a surprise when a child approaches you in the classroom with a difficult question.”
Relationships and Sex Education: Supporting Children’s Development and Wellbeing, by Dr Richard Woolley and Dr Sacha Mason, is published by Bloomsbury.