Roary Pownall from Ofsted discusses how the organization inspects sex and relationships education in schools. Ofsted judges schools on pupils' personal development, behavior, and welfare. It also evaluates how well schools prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. The current guidance for schools on sex education was published in 2000 and fails to address modern issues like social media, cyberbullying, and online safety. Ofsted inspectors investigate how schools teach pupils to make informed choices and respect themselves and others while keeping safe. The government has proposed new requirements for relationships education in primary schools and sex education in secondary schools from 2019.

1. Inspecting sex and relationships
education in schools
Roary Pownall HMI
National lead for personal, social and health education
and citizenship
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 1

2. What do we inspect?
 Ofsted makes a judgement on the personal development and
welfare of pupils
 We make a separate judgement on pupils’ behaviour
 We judge the quality of leadership and management – this
includes evaluating the spiritual, moral, social and cultural
development of pupils
 We make judgements on how well prepared pupils are for life in
modern Britain
 We make a judgement on the effectiveness of safeguarding
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 2

3. ‘Well prepared’?
‘We were told about the mechanics of straight, penetrative sex,
and reminded about 500 times to wear a condom. But we were
never taught about consent, intimacy, body image, mental
health, the existence of queer and trans people, or how digital
media and porn might affect or influence us and our
relationships.’
- Yas Necati, Independent, 21 December 2017
- www.independent.co.uk/voices/sex-education-reform-porn-sex-videos-online-social-media-lgbt-relationships-a8118531.html
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 3

4. What has changed since 2000?
 Attitudes to sexual difference in society
 Technology and social media
 Pressure to look ‘pristine’
 The rise of the selfie
Existing sex and relationships education (SRE) guidance is
‘becoming increasingly outdated’. It ‘fails to address risks to
children that have grown in prevalence over the last 17 years,
including cyber bullying, ‘sexting’ and staying safe online.’
(Justine Greening)
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 4

5. The current guidance for schools
 Sex and relationship education guidance
 Published July 2000
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 5

6. Introduction
 ‘Effective sex and relationship education is essential if young
people are to make responsible and well-informed
decisions about their lives. It should not be delivered in
isolation.’
 ‘The new PSHE framework will help pupils develop the skills and
understanding they need to live confident, healthy and
independent lives.’
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 6

7. Key points in the current guidance (1 of 3)
 Pupils should learn the significance of marriage and stable
relationships as key building blocks of community and society.
Care needs to be taken to ensure that there is no stigmatisation
of children based on their home circumstances.
 Pupils need also to be given accurate information and helped
to develop skills to enable them to understand
difference and respect themselves and others and for
the purpose also of preventing and removing prejudice.
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 7

8. Key points in the guidance (2 of 3)
 Sex and relationship education should contribute to promoting
the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development
of pupils at school and of society and preparing pupils for
the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of
adult life.
 It should teach young people to understand human sexuality
and to respect themselves and others. It enables young
people to mature, to build up their confidence and self-esteem
and understand the reasons for delaying sexual activity. It
builds up knowledge and skills which are particularly
important today because of the many different and
conflicting pressures on young people.
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 8

9. Key points (3 of 3)
 It is lifelong learning about physical, moral and emotional
development. It is about the understanding of the importance of
marriage for family life, stable and loving relationships, respect, love
and care. It is also about the teaching of sex, sexuality, and sexual
health. It is not about the promotion of sexual orientation or
sexual activity – this would be inappropriate teaching.
 The role of a school’s governing body and headteacher in the
determination of a school’s policy is crucial. The governing body,
in consultation with parents, will be able to develop policies
that reflect the parents’ wishes and the community they
serve. This guidance also sets out advice on how schools can set in
place arrangements so pupils can be protected from inappropriate
teaching and materials.
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 9

10. It has three main elements…
Knowledge and understanding
 learning and understanding physical development at
appropriate stages
 understanding human sexuality, reproduction, sexual health,
emotions and relationships
 learning about contraception and the range of local and
national sexual health advice, contraception and support
services
 learning the reasons for delaying sexual activity, and the
benefits to be gained from such delay
 the avoidance of unplanned pregnancy.
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 10

11. It has three main elements…
Attitudes and values
 learning the importance of values and individual conscience and
moral considerations
 learning the value of family life, marriage, and stable and loving
relationships for the nurture of children
 learning the value of respect, love and care
 exploring, considering and understanding moral dilemmas
 developing critical thinking as part of decision-making.
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 11

12. It has three main elements…
Personal and social skills
 learning to manage emotions and relationships confidently and
sensitively
 developing self-respect and empathy for others
 learning to make choices based on an understanding of
difference and with an absence of prejudice
 developing an appreciation of the consequences of choices
made
 managing conflict
 learning how to recognise and avoid exploitation and abuse.
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 12

13. Relationships
 Young people, when asked about their experiences of sex
education at school, often complain about the focus on the
physical aspects of reproduction and the lack of any meaningful
discussion about feelings, relationships and values. Sex and
relationship education set within the framework for PSHE across the four
key stages will significantly redress that balance. It will help young people
to respect themselves and others, and understand difference.
(paragraph 121, current guidance)
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 13

14. Sexual identity and orientation
 ‘It is up to schools to make sure that the needs of all pupils are met in
their programmes. Young people, whatever their developing sexuality,
need to feel that sex and relationship education is relevant to them and
sensitive to their needs…There should be no direct promotion of
sexual orientation.’ (paragraph 130)
 ‘Schools need to be able to deal with homophobic bullying [and]
the unacceptability of and emotional distress and harm caused by bullying
in whatever form – be it racial, as a result of a pupil’s appearance, related
to sexual orientation or for any other reason.’ (para 132)
 ‘Policies should be inclusive of all pupils’ (para 132, key points)
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 14

15. How Ofsted judges schools for personal
development, behaviour and welfare
 Inadequate: ‘a significant minority of pupils do not understand how and
why to live healthy, positive lives both physically and emotionally… show a
lack of respect for each other...’
 Good: ‘respect for each others’ ideas and views… rare occurrences of
bullying… pupils are safe and feel safe… prepared to be reflective about
and responsible for their actions… the open culture promotes all aspects of
pupils’ welfare...’
 Outstanding: ‘relationships are exemplary… can explain accurately and
confidently how to keep themselves healthy… they are confident in staying
safe from abuse and exploitation.’
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 15

16. How Ofsted judges schools for leadership and
management
 Inadequate: ‘the curriculum does not provide adequately for all pupils…
does not prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and
experiences of modern Britain… not taking steps to promote good
behaviour… undermine or fail to promote equality of opportunity… do not
prevent discriminatory behaviour or prejudiced views…’
 Good: ‘respect and tolerance… positive relationships… appropriate action
to identify pupils at risk of neglect or sexual exploitation and supporting
the needs of those pupils…’
 Outstanding: ‘relationships are exemplary… SMSC at the heart of the
school’s work… promotion of equality and diversity exceptionally well…’
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 16

17. What may Ofsted do during an inspection?
 Investigate how pupils are:
- told about social media and technology so they develop an
wide understanding of its pressures and dangers
- supported to keep safe and become confident
- given good levels of information so they can make informed
choices
- taught to understand that it is important to respect
themselves and others
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 17

18.  Take account of local needs
 Consult with parents, staff and genuinely with pupils
 Monitor effectively what they are doing, what is working well
and what is not
 Evaluate regularly
 Adjust provision where needed
 Keep the governing body, parents and pupils informed
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 18
Effective schools

19. Current proposals from September 2019
 Relationships education for primary schools
 Sex and relationships education for secondary schools
 Under the changes, parents will continue to have a right to withdraw
their children from sex education.
 Schools will be required to publish a clear statement of their policy
and what will be taught, so that parents can make informed
decisions
 Schools will have flexibility over how they deliver these subjects, so
they can ‘develop an integrated approach that is sensitive to the
needs of the local community’. Faith schools will continue to be able
to teach ‘in accordance with the tenets of their faith’.
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 19

20. Ofsted on the web and on social media
www.gov.uk/ofsted
http://reports.ofsted.gov.uk
www.linkedin.com/company/ofsted
www.youtube.com/ofstednews
www.slideshare.net/ofstednews
www.twitter.com/ofstednews
Westminster Education Forum - London, 8 February 2018 Slide 20