answer text |
<p>From September 2020, relationships education became compulsory for all primary
school-aged pupils, relationships and sex education compulsory for all secondary school-aged
pupils, and health education compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools.</p><p>The
statutory guidance for health education now sets out the following content on drugs,
and supplements drug education as a statutory subject in maintained schools as part
of the national curriculum for science in key stage 2 and key stage 3:</p><ul><li>Primary
- the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including
smoking, alcohol use and drug-taking.</li><li>Secondary - building on primary and
in addition covers the associated legal and psychological risks of taking drugs.</li></ul><p>In
health education, there is a strong focus on mental wellbeing, including a recognition
that mental wellbeing and physical health are linked. This includes teaching about
the dangers of drugs and alcohol, including drug misuse. The department is committed
to supporting schools in their delivery of the new subjects and has published non-statutory
implementation guidance titled ‘Plan your Relationships, Sex and Health Education
Curriculum’, alongside teacher training materials. Both are designed to provide teachers
with further clarity and practical advice on how to implement the curriculum, to help
all teachers increase their confidence and quality of teaching. Online training was
available for schools during the 2020/21 academic year, delivered through the regional
network of teaching schools.</p><p>Support covers all the teaching requirements in
the statutory guidance and including a teacher training module on drugs alcohol and
tobacco, as part of a wider suite of teacher training materials: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-training-drugs-alcohol-and-tobacco"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-training-drugs-alcohol-and-tobacco</a>.</p><p>The
department has worked with Public Health England (now the Office for Health Improvement
and Disparities) to make sure good quality teaching resources are available for teachers
delivering drug, alcohol and tobacco education. Lesson plans on drugs, alcohol and
tobacco are now available on the PSHE Association’s website: <a href="https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/curriculum-and-resources/resources/drug-and-alcohol-education-—-lesson-plans"
target="_blank">https://www.pshe-association.org.uk/curriculum-and-resources/resources/drug-and-alcohol-education-%E2%80%94-lesson-plans</a>.</p><p>The
department is developing plans for monitoring implementation of relationships, sex
and health education over time, including measuring teacher confidence in teaching
the statutory requirements and whether additions or other changes to the curriculum
will be required. We will of course consult widely over any proposed amendments to
its content.</p>
|
|