Sex and Relationships Education

We believe that Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) can best be improved if it is a statutory, compulsory part of the curriculum in all schools, being comprehensive in scope and well above the minimum basics of what is currently required by law. Only very basic information about the biological aspects of SRE is currently compulsory in schools. SRE provision is patchy across schools, and the standards and scope vary widely between schools. Making comprehensive SRE compulsory in all schools, together with the necessary training and investment in teaching resources and information, should help to give teachers the skills and confidence to teach excellent SRE to their pupils.

The Government announced in 2008 that they were persuaded of the case that SRE should be statutory.

What are we doing?

The BHA is committed to encouraging informed and responsible choice. Therefore, we believe that all children are entitled to full and accurate SRE, including unbiased information on contraception, STDs, abortion, sexual orientation, and the many forms of family relationship conducive to individual fulfilment and the stability of society. See our position statement on SRE.

The BHA is a member of the National Children’s Bureau Sex Education Forum (SEF), and we recommend its work to teachers, school managers and governors. The BHA also sits on the SEF’s policy working group, representing a humanist perspective to the policy and parliamentary work of the SEF. Our Director of Education is currently a member of the SEF's working group on faith and values - work that will be vital as statutory SRE moves closer.

The BHA is a stakeholder in the current government investigation into how SRE can best be incorporated into the compulsory curriculum.

What can you do?

You can support the BHA by becoming a member. That helps in itself, and you can help even more by supporting our campaigns in the ways suggested above. But campaigns also cost money – quite a lot of money – and we also need financial support.  You can make a donation to the BHA.