Schools are required to consult with parents when developing and reviewing their policies for Relationships Education and RSE, which will inform schools’ decisions on when and how certain content is covered. Effective engagement gives the space and time for parents to input, ask questions, share concerns and for the school to decide the way forward. Schools will listen to parents’ views, and then make a reasonable decision as to how they wish to proceed. When and how content is taught is ultimately a decision for the school, and consultation does not provide a parental veto on curriculum content.
A school’s policies must be available to any individual free of charge. Schools are also expected to ensure that, when they engage parents, they provide examples of the resources they plan to use, for example the books they will use in lessons.