The new Ministry of Education RSE guidance for principals, leaders and Boards of Trustees emphasises teaching of consent, healthy relationships, inclusivity and the impact of social media and online pornography. Here's what it means for you.

We know from our work with schools that there were still areas where the guidance was open to interpretation, so the refresh is welcome. The new guidance is much clearer in its intent and is more comprehensive in providing support for delivering a holistic Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) programme in schools. This is particularly important as the focus is now on a whole school approach to promoting wellness.

Many of you may be wondering what the new guidelines mean for RSE in the classroom. While some aspects have changed to ensure that young people receive a more equitable and holistic education, the good news is that our Navigating the Journey suite of resources will meet the new requirements now and for many years ahead. Navigating the Journey was designed as a holistic and flexible programme that provides educators and community groups with support and guidance, as well as activities, to deliver high quality RSE to young people.

To better support our schools and our communities, we are developing new online interactive options as well as a suite of self-directed short online modules to help you stay up-to-date in RSE. We currently offer courses for both parents and professionals covering topics such as how to answer difficult questions, support for working with young people with additional learning needs, and working with and supporting the Rainbow community. We are also working on developing more topical content around sex and the law, alcohol and pregnancy, and a suite of subject-specific trainings.