Parents have no “veto” on what is taught in relationships, health and sex education (RSHE), and should complain to schools about “inappropriate” content rather than withdrawing their children from class, a minister has said. Schools minister Nick Gibb also told MPs today his “heart sinks” when he hears of schools narrowing the curriculum to focus on reading and maths, despite his government’s focus on the subjects for the past 13 years. He appeared in front of the education committee this morning to answer questions about persistent absence and support for disadvantaged pupils, among other issues. Here’s what we learned. 1. No parent ‘veto’ on RSHE content… The government recently brought forward its review of RSHE guidance issued three years ago, in response to claims some schools are using teaching materials that are not 鈥渁ge-appropriate鈥. Gibb said had 鈥渓anded well right across the education sector鈥, but added that he shared MPs鈥 concerns. He said the government had been 鈥渧ery clear鈥 that schools 鈥渄o need to share鈥 teaching materials with parents. 鈥淧arents don’t have a veto on what’s taught, but [schools] will reflect on parents鈥 concerns.鈥 2. …but families should complain not withdraw Gibb also urged families to use school complaints procedures rather than withdraw their children from lessons. 鈥淚f parents are unhappy, every school has a complaints procedure to go through and I would counsel parents to use that rather than to withdraw their children from school.鈥 The minister added that he would not advocate allowing parents to remove their children from relationships education lessons, as they can currently for the sex education element of RSHE. 鈥淭here are some elements of relationship education that are important in a modern world. It is important that children are introduced to the different kinds of families that there are and so on. 鈥淚n some of the more orthodox schools that that might not happen without this guidance, and without there being compulsory RSHE.鈥 3. ‘My heart sinks’ when creative subjects shunned As schools minister for much of the last 13 years, Gibb has been central to the government鈥檚 focus on core academic subjects. But critics warn this has come at the expense of creative subjects. Gibb admitted today that his 鈥渉eart sinks when I hear of schools saying that in year 6 they have dropped all subjects except English and maths鈥. He acknowledged these schools were 鈥渨orried about SATs, but the schools that do best in SATs are the ones that don鈥檛 do that鈥. Pressed on how government would make sure the focus on reading and maths does not 鈥渟queeze out鈥 other areas, Gibb said 鈥渋t shouldn鈥檛 and it mustn鈥檛鈥. 鈥淚鈥檝e never seen it as an either-or. I want both.鈥 4. Daily attendance tracker will become mandatory Last year, the DfE began trialling a live attendance tracker, which scrapes school registers to provide ministers with real-time information on absences. They have said they hope to replace existing data collections with the scheme, which is now used by over 80 per cent of schools. Gibb said today the programme had been “very successful on a voluntary basis”, but “I think we will ultimately move to mandation”. “We don鈥檛 have a timescale for that. But it鈥檚 a very successful project.” Graham Archer, the DfE’s director-general for families, said “we do want this to replace the existing data collections and that will imply mandation”. “But we want to make progress with that 19 per cent [not taking part] first so that we鈥檙e clear that this is a process that is owned, understood by the whole of the sector.鈥 5. Gibb resists call for mental health absence ‘code’ The government consulted last year on changes to the way absences are recorded, and Gibb confirmed today that ministers would bring forward new secondary legislation to enact them 鈥渋n due course鈥. However, he said he would “resist” calls from MPs for 鈥渁 sub-category of illness that reflects mental health鈥. 鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult for schools to define when someone is ill 鈥 is it mental health? Is it a combination of mental health and something else? 鈥淭he more complicated you make filling in these codes for schools, it鈥檚 a burden on schools, they have many other things to do. But also you can damage the accuracy of it if you start demanding more precision than the schools actually have.鈥 6. DfE mulls advance of not-in-school register Ministers scrapped their flagship schools bill last year following two changes of government, but said they wanted to salvage some elements, including plans for a register of children not in school. Conservative MP Flick Drummond has introduced legislation for such a register in the Commons, and is hoping for government backing to allow it to progress. Gibb said it was still a priority for the government, 鈥渂ut again we just don鈥檛 have a legislative vehicle to introduce it but we are still committed to doing so鈥. Asked if the government would take on Drummond鈥檚 bill, Gibb said: 鈥淚 think our officials are talking to you about what the vehicle in Parliament is that we can use.鈥 But Gibb鈥檚 comments were criticised as lacking an 鈥渆lement of urgency鈥 by Labour MP Ian Mearns. 鈥淭he government is hardly over-burdening Parliament with excessive use of time at the moment鈥here is time within the Parliamentary session to do something urgently about this.”
Patrick Obikwu 27 June 2023 Misplaced values, distorted priorities. Is RSHE the most important way to occupy the minds young children? It is better to teach Philosophy, Ethics, Stoicism, and Civic and Social Responsibility. This will improve attendance, students’ mental health, give them much more depth and understanding of self and others to better handle with issues around RSHE.
Jay Ashwith 30 June 2023 Parents withdrawing their children from school is their form of protest and legal & divine obligation of protection of their children. The types of families they want to introduce is not the nuclear one. They want to continue pushing Alphabet community agendas. Which none of us cared about until they tried to get children who don’t need to be sexualised involved. If we don’t focus on Maths and English we will be further down the line of pupils identifying as Cats. These people are unqualified, dilusional or peadophiles, or all three.