O’Dowd launches new guidance on Relationship, Sexuality and Drugs Education

Education Minister, John O’Dowd, has issued revised guidance for schools on Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) and Drugs Education.

The guidance produced by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA) has been updated to reflect new legislation, technological advances and societal changes which affect how schools deal with these sensitive issues.

The Minister said:

“The teaching of RSE enables pupils to develop the skills and knowledge they need to build positive relationships and to develop their understanding of relationships and sexuality.

 Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) must be delivered in a sensitive manner which is appropriate to the age and understanding of pupils and also the ethos of the school. That is why my Department has produced separate guidance for Primary and Post-Primary schools.”

The RSE guidance references the recent inquiries into child sexual exploitation and provides an opportunity for schools to play a preventative role by improving awareness amongst staff of the vulnerability factors and current indicators of child sexual exploitation. It also identifies how effective RSE provision can help pupils recognise potentially exploitative and dangerous situations and how to take preventative action.

The revised guidance brings together the issues of Relationship and Sex Education and also Drugs Education within the framework of personal development.

The Drugs Education guidance is aligned to the current statutory curriculum and takes account of changes in legislation relating to drugs since the previous guidance was published in 2004.

Concluding the Minister said:

“The updated guidance provides advice and an overall framework for the development of schools’ policies which will help principals and teachers deliver this important subject.”

Kathryn Gilbert, Programme Manager at CCEA, said:

“The revised guidance outlines the reasons for the changes and provides useful background information and sources of further information on these important issues for schools. The guidance provides a useful context for how these sensitive issues should be dealt with and will help schools create meaningful policies for RSE and Drugs Education.”

The new RSE and Drugs guidance documents are available on the CCEA website and the Department of Education website RSE and Drugs guidance.

The guidance documents are also available to schools via the C2k service.

Notes to editors: 

1. The guidance documents are available in both English and Irish languages and can be downloaded in a PDF format from the CCEA website and the Department of Education website.
2. The minimum to be taught under the NI Curriculum is detailed in legislation as Areas of Learning. The specifics of what is taught under each Area of Learning are a matter for each school.
3. RSE is covered within the Personal Development and Mutual Understanding Area of Learning in primary schools and the Learning for Life and Work Area of Learning in post-primary schools.
4. The policy should be subject to consultation with parents and endorsed by a school’s Board of Governors.
5. Separate guidance documents have been developed for primary and post-primary levels.
6. The Department of Education’s ‘Education Works’ campaign promotes the value of education. This year’s campaign aims to ensure that parents have information on schooling and that they are aware of the steps they can take to ‘Get Involved’ and support their teenager in achieving good outcomes at school. Watch out for the ads on television, radio and outdoor locations. The campaign highlights the vital role families can play in helping children do well at school and improve their life chances. Visit nidirect for more information or watch the TV ad on the Department’s YouTube channel
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