PSHEC: Update 2020
Personal, Social and Health Education/Citizenship (PSHE/C): An Update
The National Curriculum now defines PSHE as, ‘Personal, social, health and economic education’.
As from September 2020, the relationships and health education part of PSHE becomes mandatory in all schools, including academies, free schools and independent schools.
Although much of our previous guidance remains valid, the status of PSHE within schools has now been greatly enhanced. The element of compulsion with regard to relationships and health education dilutes the role of parents in their child’s upbringing.
The Department for Education’s ‘Statutory guidance’ (25th July 2019) states:
The Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education (England) Regulations 2019, made under sections 34 and 35 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017, make Relationships Education compulsory for all pupils receiving primary education and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for all pupils receiving secondary education1. They also make Health Education compulsory in all schools except independent schools. Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) continues to be compulsory in independent schools.