The teaching of Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) lessons will resume in primary and secondary schools in the Isle of Man after the Easter holidays.
Schools will prioritise specific year groups with a phased approach to the reintroduction and delivery of a full curriculum from September 2024.
Lessons will be based on Scotland’s Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) programme but changes have been made to the way resources are shared with parents and how teachers are trained, which address the key findings of last year’s independent report.
Resources will be available on a new website prior to the delivery within schools, so that parents and carers can access them ahead of their child’s lessons if they wish. A group of staff will receive specialist training to deliver specific areas of content.
Daphne Caine MHK, Minister for Education, Sport and Culture, said:
‘I am pleased to see the return of this important subject, which gives children a safe space to ask questions and learn how to make their own informed choices to enjoy safe, healthy relationships throughout their lives.
‘The new website will bring transparency and additional training means we will have a specialist group of staff that are better equipped to deliver developmentally appropriate lessons.’
The curriculum aims to help students learn about the emotional, social and physical aspects of human development, relationships, sexuality, consent, wellbeing and sexual health.
