rse curriculum primary schools hero

The RSE Curriculum in Primary Schools

Authored by the Muse Wellbeing Team

First Published on the 31st of July, 2026.

Lead Writer

David is a qualified British teacher and the Muse Wellbeing director and lead curriculum developer. His main passions include education, surfing (badly) and travel.

Editorial Review

With over 15 years of experience teaching in primary schools in northern England, Charlotte has played a key role in shaping many lessons across the Muse Wellbeing curriculum.
For SLT, a strong primary RSE curriculum should be clear, progressive and easy to explain to staff, governors and parents. It should show how pupils build knowledge and language over time, from friendship, family life and personal boundaries to puberty, emotional change and preparation for secondary school.

In primary schools, RSE is often used as a convenient shorthand, but the statutory position is more specific. Relationships Education is compulsory for all primary pupils. Health Education is also compulsory in state-funded schools, while independent schools meet separate PSHE requirements. Primary sex education is not compulsory, although the revised Department for Education guidance recommends that schools teach it in Years 5 and/or 6.

The revised RSHE statutory guidance was published in July 2025 and applies from 1 September 2026. This guide explains what an effective primary RSE curriculum should contain, how it connects with PSHE, science and safeguarding and what leaders should check when reviewing provision for the 2026 to 2027 academic year.

It is written for schools in England. Schools elsewhere in the UK and international schools may find the curriculum principles useful, but they should follow the legislation and guidance that applies in their own setting.

Contents

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What the RSE curriculum covers

The phrase RSE curriculum can create confusion because it is used to describe several connected areas of teaching. In an English primary school, the compulsory core is Relationships Education for all pupils and Health Education in state-funded schools. Maintained schools must also follow the national curriculum for science. Academies and free schools are not required to follow the national curriculum programmes of study, but they must provide a broad and balanced curriculum that includes science.

Sex education is not compulsory at primary level. The revised DfE guidance recommends that primary schools teach sex education in Years 5 and/or 6, aligned with content about conception and birth in science. Schools should consult parents about anything taught as sex education and explain the right to request withdrawal.

A well-planned primary relationships and health curriculum, including any additional sex education the school chooses to provide, is therefore broader than reproduction. It brings together learning about relationships, safety, health, bodies and growing up. Pupils should learn about families, friendships, respect, privacy, online behaviour, personal boundaries, trusted adults and how to ask for help. As children move through primary school, the curriculum should add greater depth around puberty, emotional change, body knowledge and preparation for adolescence.

A useful way to view the curriculum is through four connected parts:

  • Relationships and belonging, including friendship, kindness, family life and feeling included
  • Respect, boundaries and safety, including privacy, body ownership, online behaviour and help-seeking
  • Health and growing up, including body knowledge, puberty, hygiene, emotional wellbeing and self-care
  • Whole-school implementation, including policy, progression, safeguarding, staff confidence and communication with parents

These parts should connect without becoming vague. A lesson on friendship may also develop assertiveness and conflict resolution. Teaching about online safety may reinforce privacy, personal information and reporting concerns. Puberty lessons may link physical changes with emotions, self-respect and reliable sources of support.

The purpose is not to introduce complex content prematurely. It is to ensure that pupils receive accurate, age- and stage-appropriate teaching before they face situations in which that knowledge is needed. Schools reviewing the wider structure may find the Muse guide to PSHE Education Foundations a useful starting point.
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How RSE fits with PSHE and RSHE

RSE, RSHE, Relationships Education and PSHE are sometimes used as though they are interchangeable. They overlap, but each term has a different meaning. Being precise helps leaders map statutory coverage, write an accurate policy and explain the curriculum clearly to parents.

Relationships Education is compulsory for every pupil receiving primary education. It covers families and people who care for pupils, caring friendships, respectful relationships, online relationships and being safe. Health Education is compulsory in state-funded schools and covers physical health, mental wellbeing, health protection and the changing adolescent body.

RSE means Relationships and Sex Education. It is the statutory secondary school subject, although primary schools often use RSE as informal shorthand for their relationships, puberty and sex education provision. RSHE is the broader collective term for Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education across the age range.

PSHE is wider still. Schools may use PSHE as the curriculum structure through which they teach statutory Relationships Education and Health Education alongside economic wellbeing, citizenship, personal growth, community participation and other personal development content. This approach works when leaders can still identify exactly where statutory RSHE outcomes are taught.

A useful school test is whether staff can answer four practical questions consistently: 

  1. Which content is statutory Relationships Education and Health Education
  2. Which related content sits within science, including puberty and reproduction
  3. Which additional sex education the school teaches, when it is taught and the relevant withdrawal rights
  4. Where parents can find current curriculum information and view teaching materials

If these answers vary between staff, the curriculum, training and whole school policy probably need tighter alignment.

Schools that need a straightforward explanation for staff or parents can use what does rse stand for and what is rse in schools before moving into detailed curriculum planning.
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Relationships education across primary school

rse curriculum primary schools coverage
Relationships Education is the foundation of the primary RSE curriculum. Before pupils meet detailed puberty teaching or any additional sex education, they need a secure understanding of kindness, friendship, respect, personal safety, trusted adults and how to seek help. This learning begins early and should develop in depth and complexity across the primary years.

Effective curricula do not confine relationships teaching to one annual unit. Planned lessons provide clear objectives and progression, while classroom routines, stories, behaviour expectations, anti-bullying work, online safety and pastoral responses reinforce the same language and expectations. Everyday practice should support the planned curriculum rather than replace it.

Friendships, belonging and respectful behaviour

Early teaching may focus on sharing, turn-taking, listening, noticing feelings and recognising what makes a friendship feel safe. Older pupils can explore conflict, repair, loneliness, peer influence, assertiveness and the difference between disagreement, unkindness and bullying.

The revised guidance gives greater emphasis to practical relationship skills. Pupils should learn how to communicate needs and boundaries, manage disappointment and frustration, seek help and avoid violence when resolving conflict. Teaching is more useful when children practise language they can apply in real situations rather than only discussing abstract values.

The Muse guide on promoting friendships and positive relationships in schools explores this progression in more detail, including friendships, boundaries and conflict resolution across KS1 and KS2. 

Family structures and belonging

Children should see that families can take many forms and that safe, caring relationships are central to family life. Examples may include single-parent families, same-sex parents, grandparents, kinship carers, adoptive families, foster families, stepfamilies and extended family arrangements.

Schools should avoid presenting one family structure as the default or asking pupils to disclose personal information. Content should be inclusive without becoming intrusive. Particular care may be needed for children affected by bereavement, separation, care experience or changes at home.

This approach supports the Equality Act 2010 and the revised guidance, which states that teaching should illustrate a wide range of family structures positively and should not stigmatise children because of their home circumstances.

Boundaries, privacy and body safety

Primary teaching should give pupils clear, age-appropriate language for privacy, body ownership and safe or unsafe contact. Children should learn that their body belongs to them, that people can have different preferences and boundaries and that they should respect another person's refusal or request for space.

They should also know that not every secret should be kept, how to identify trusted adults and how to keep asking for help until they are heard. Correct names for body parts support safeguarding because children need words that adults can understand if they report pain, discomfort or abuse.

Teaching children how to reduce risk must not imply that abuse is their fault. The curriculum should build knowledge and confidence while making clear that responsibility always lies with the person causing harm.

Why relationships education matters across the curriculum

If a school concentrates mainly on puberty lessons, earlier relationships learning may be underdeveloped. Later content is easier to understand when pupils already have secure language for respect, privacy, feelings, boundaries and help-seeking. Relationships teaching should therefore be reviewed as part of the whole sequence rather than as a separate pastoral topic.
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Whole-school RSE, RSHE and PSHE planning

A school may already have useful RSE lessons but lack a clear whole-school structure. Staff may use different terminology, year groups may be unsure what pupils have already learned and upper KS2 may receive more attention than the progression leading up to it. A coherent primary RSE curriculum shows clearly how learning develops from the early foundations through to the end of Year 6.

Defining the subject clearly for staff and families

The policy, curriculum map and parent information should use Relationships Education, Health Education, RSE and PSHE accurately. Schools should distinguish statutory teaching from additional sex education and explain which related content is taught through science.

This does not require complicated legal language. Create a short shared definition of each term, add clear year-group summaries and use consistent wording across the website, policy, curriculum map, staff guidance and parent communication. This gives staff and families a clearer picture of what is taught and helps leaders identify inconsistencies.

Building a coherent scheme of work

An RSE scheme of work should do more than list topics by year group. It should show what pupils learn, why content is placed at each stage, what prior knowledge it builds on and how concepts are revisited in greater depth. It should also identify statutory outcomes, science links, additional sex education and appropriate adaptations for pupils with SEND.

Leaders should consider mixed-age classes, pupils joining the school mid-phase and differences in prior knowledge. A stable long-term structure is helpful, but teachers may need to adjust examples, pace and support without losing the intended progression.

How RSE connects with wider PSHE and wellbeing

RSE connects with mental wellbeing, inclusion, safeguarding, online conduct, anti-bullying work and personal development. Teaching it within a wider PSHE curriculum can strengthen these connections, provided Relationships Education and Health Education remain clearly visible and fully mapped.

The Muse guide to Parent, Policy and School Engagement can help leaders connect curriculum design with consultation, policy and communication.

Using a whole-school approach

A whole-school approach aligns the taught curriculum with behaviour, safeguarding, equality, online safety and staff practice. It does not mean that every interaction becomes an RSE lesson. It means that pupils hear consistent messages about respect, safety and seeking support.

Schools needing a broader planning overview can use the Muse guide to sex relationships education, which brings together curriculum structure, statutory framing and implementation considerations.
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Statutory requirements and compliance

Legal compliance is the baseline rather than the full measure of curriculum quality. Schools need both accurate policies and strong teaching. A school may have the required document online while staff remain uncertain about content, progression or withdrawal rights.

From 1 September 2026, schools must have regard to the revised DfE guidance. Relationships Education is compulsory for all pupils receiving primary education. Health Education is compulsory in maintained schools, academies, free schools, non-maintained special schools and alternative provision, but not in independent schools, which have separate PSHE requirements.

All primary schools must have an up-to-date written policy for Relationships Education or, where they teach sex education, RSE. Schools must proactively engage and consult parents when developing and reviewing the policy. It must be published on the school website and provided free of charge to anyone who asks for a copy. The policy should explain what will be taught, how and when it will be taught, who is responsible for delivery, withdrawal rights, accessibility for pupils with SEND, monitoring and evaluation, how parents can view curriculum materials and how teachers will respond to questions about sex education topics that the school does not cover.

What statutory guidance does and does not prescribe

The guidance sets curriculum content and expectations for policy, consultation, safeguarding, accessibility and delivery. It does not prescribe a particular commercial scheme, set of scripts or timetable. Schools retain flexibility to design an age- and stage-appropriate programme that meets pupil needs and reflects their local context.

That flexibility does not remove accountability. Leaders should be able to identify where statutory outcomes are taught and explain how learning is sequenced. Schools remain responsible for any external resources or providers they use and should check credentials, materials and lesson plans in advance. Resources should be accurate, unbiased, accessible and appropriate for pupils’ age, stage and needs.

Parent communication and transparency

Schools should communicate what will be taught, how and when it will be taught and which content is statutory. Parents should be shown a representative sample of resources, and schools should ensure that they can view all RSHE curriculum materials on request. Copyright may affect how materials are shared, but it should not be used to refuse access. Consultation gives parents a voice, but it does not allow them to veto statutory curriculum content.

Where a primary school provides sex education, parents may request withdrawal from some or all of it, apart from content taught through science. The headteacher must grant a primary withdrawal request. Parents cannot withdraw pupils from Relationships Education, Health Education or science content, including science teaching related to puberty or sexual reproduction.

Governing boards and academy trust proprietors should make sure that all pupils make progress towards the expected educational outcomes, teaching is accessible to pupils with SEND, curriculum content and materials align with the statutory guidance and parents receive clear information about content, teaching materials, external providers and withdrawal rights.

Safeguarding and sensitive questions

RSE can support safeguarding by giving pupils language for concerns and creating opportunities to seek help. It does not replace the school's child protection procedures. If a question, disclosure or reaction suggests possible harm, staff should follow the school's safeguarding policy and involve the designated safeguarding lead.

Staff preparation should reflect the current version of Keeping Children Safe in Education. Schools should use the 2025 guidance until 31 August 2026 and the 2026 version from 1 September 2026.

Staying current and reviewing practice

Policies and curriculum documents should be reviewed regularly so that written plans match classroom delivery. An annual check is sensible, with a fuller review when guidance changes, a scheme is replaced, safeguarding patterns emerge or pupil needs shift.

The Muse guide to PSHE Statutory Guidance for Primary Schools provides a more detailed walkthrough of the revised requirements, parent rights and the September 2026 implementation deadline.
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Year 6 sex education and transition readiness

rse curriculum primary schools y6
Upper KS2 can attract the most attention during an RSE review. Pupils are closer to secondary school, physical changes may already be underway and misinformation can circulate through peers, siblings or online spaces. The risk is that Year 6 becomes overloaded with learning that should have been developed gradually.

The revised guidance recommends that primary schools teach sex education in Years 5 and/or 6. Year 6 should therefore be a point of consolidation and preparation, not automatically the first time pupils encounter puberty, privacy, body vocabulary or help-seeking.

What pupils in Year 6 usually need

Pupils need calm, factual teaching about puberty, menstrual wellbeing, emotional changes, hygiene, body confidence and the fact that development happens at different times. They should know where to find reliable information and who to approach if they feel worried or confused.

Schools should decide clearly what they will teach about conception and birth, whether it sits within science or additional sex education and how it will be described in policy and parent information. Staff need advance guidance on likely questions and on the boundary between a brief factual answer and a question that should be followed up later.

Secondary transition changes the context

Transition readiness is not only about bodies. Pupils may be concerned about larger schools, older students, new routines, changing friendships and increased social pressure. RSE and PSHE can help pupils identify sources of support, manage uncertainty and recognise that confident talk from peers is not always accurate.

Review Year 6 as part of the whole sequence

When a Year 6 unit feels difficult to teach, leaders should first check whether earlier curriculum foundations are secure. Pupils may lack the language of boundaries, teachers may use inconsistent terms or puberty teaching may have been delayed too long. Review the full progression before adding more content to the final year.

The Muse guide to sex education year 6 gives more detailed support for upper KS2 content, parent communication and classroom preparation.
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How to build progression without overlap or gaps

A common planning risk is uneven development rather than the complete absence of topics. Pupils may repeat basic friendship work with little new learning, then meet several sensitive topics in a short upper KS2 block. Progression means that each phase adds knowledge, vocabulary, judgement and practical skills.

A practical progression framework

Relationships education: early learning may cover feelings, kindness, friendship and trusted adults. Later primary teaching can develop conflict resolution, peer influence, loneliness, assertiveness and healthy boundaries.

Family and belonging: younger pupils can learn about people who care for them and that families can look different. Older pupils can explore change in family life, empathy, inclusion and how to seek help when relationships feel unsafe.

Body knowledge and health: early learning can establish correct body vocabulary, privacy and self-care. Later teaching should prepare pupils for puberty, menstrual wellbeing, hygiene, emotional change and reliable health information.

Whole-school implementation: early provision depends on simple routines and consistent language. By upper primary, the school should have clear statutory mapping, an accurate policy, staff guidance, parent transparency and transition planning.

How schools can strengthen progression

Begin by auditing what is actually taught, not only what appears in a long-term plan. Identify core concepts such as respect, privacy, help-seeking, family diversity and online safety, then define what each year group adds. That addition may be richer vocabulary, more complex scenarios, increased independence or more precise biological knowledge.

Cross-check PSHE, science, computing and safeguarding plans so that links are intentional and gaps are visible. Mixed-age cycles require particular care because repeating the same lesson every two years does not automatically create progression.

If the wider curriculum terminology is still unclear, the Muse guide to pshe meaning explains how PSHE relates to statutory Relationships Education and Health Education.
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Implementation risks schools can avoid

Avoid Year 6 packing. A themed week or short upper KS2 block may cover important content, but it rarely gives knowledge and language enough time to develop securely. Learning about relationships, body safety and puberty should build across the primary years, with Year 6 used to deepen and consolidate earlier teaching.

Prepare staff properly. Unexpected questions are inevitable, so teachers need agreed ground rules, model language and clarity about when to answer, defer or follow safeguarding procedures. Leaders should also check that teaching is consistent across year groups and accessible to pupils with SEND.

Communicate with clarity. Parents need clear year-group information, access to materials and an accurate explanation of statutory and additional content. Lessons may also prompt disclosures or concerning reactions, so staff should listen without investigating, avoid leading questions and report concerns through the school’s safeguarding procedures.
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A simple decision framework for choosing your next step

rse curriculum primary schools framework
A general concern that RSE needs improvement is too broad to guide action. Leaders should first identify the specific issue limiting effective provision, then choose the review or support needed.

  • If terminology and scope are unclear, agree shared definitions for Relationships Education, Health Education, RSE, RSHE, PSHE and science content, then use them consistently across policies, curriculum maps and parent communication.
  • If statutory confidence is the concern, audit curriculum mapping against the revised guidance and check policy requirements, parent access to materials and withdrawal arrangements.
  • If lesson quality is uneven, sample planning and delivery across year groups, then review classroom language, staff confidence, model responses and adaptations for pupils with SEND.
  • If upper KS2 feels overloaded, map Year 5 and Year 6 content against the earlier sequence. Move foundational learning earlier where needed and reserve upper KS2 for greater depth, consolidation and transition preparation.
  • If parent concern is increasing, compare the published policy, year-group summaries and actual teaching materials. Correct any gaps or inconsistencies before changing the curriculum itself.

Assign each part of the review to the people best placed to act. Headteachers and governing boards should confirm statutory compliance and whole-school oversight. PSHE leads should review progression, mapping and resources. 

Class teachers need clear lesson plans, agreed vocabulary and model responses. DSLs should check disclosure routes and staff preparation. Agree an owner, evidence and deadline for each action so the review leads to specific improvements rather than becoming one person’s open-ended task.
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Where to go next

Choose the guide that matches your immediate priority. For statutory requirements, policy and withdrawal rights, read PSHE Statutory Guidance for Primary Schools. For practical ideas on friendship, peer relationships and classroom activities, see Promoting Friendships and Positive Relationships in Schools. For puberty, reproduction and transition planning in upper KS2, use Sex Education in Year 6.

To review Muse Wellbeing’s complete offer, see Muse Wellbeing: PSHE and RSE Scheme of Work. It explains how 216 fully resourced lessons from Year 1 to Year 6 support statutory coverage, progression and consistent delivery through lesson plans, slides and supporting resources.
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the RSE curriculum in primary schools?

In primary schools, RSE is commonly used as shorthand for planned teaching about relationships, safety, health, bodies and growing up. Formally, Relationships Education is compulsory for all pupils receiving primary education, Health Education is compulsory in state-funded schools and science covers related body and puberty content. Schools may also choose to teach additional sex education.

Is RSE statutory in primary schools?

RSE is not the formal statutory primary subject name. Relationships Education is compulsory for all primary pupils. Health Education is compulsory in state-funded schools. Sex education is not compulsory in primary schools, although the revised guidance recommends teaching it in Years 5 and/or 6.

What is the difference between RSE, RSHE and PSHE?

RSE means Relationships and Sex Education. RSHE is the collective term for Relationships Education, RSE and Health Education. PSHE is a broader curriculum area that often includes the statutory subjects alongside economic wellbeing, citizenship and wider personal development.

Do primary schools have to teach sex education?

No. Primary sex education is not compulsory. The revised guidance recommends that schools teach it in Years 5 and/or 6, but the school decides whether to provide it. Related science content and statutory Relationships Education and Health Education remain compulsory where applicable.

Can parents withdraw their child from primary RSE?

Parents cannot withdraw their child from Relationships Education, Health Education or science. They may request withdrawal from some or all additional primary sex education, and the headteacher must grant the request. The school should provide appropriate, purposeful education during the period of withdrawal.

What should an RSE scheme of work include?

It should map learning by year group, show progression, identify statutory outcomes, explain links with science and distinguish additional sex education. It should also support pupils with SEND, align with safeguarding and give teachers enough guidance to deliver sensitive content consistently.

How early should primary schools start relationships education?

Relationships Education should begin from the start of primary education. Early learning should be age appropriate and may include kindness, feelings, family life, personal space, trusted adults and simple safety rules. These foundations prepare pupils for more complex learning later.

What topics are taught in primary Relationships Education?

The statutory areas are families and people who care for pupils, caring friendships, respectful relationships, online relationships and being safe. The revised guidance adds detail around loneliness, conflict, assertiveness, boundaries, stereotypes, harmful relationships and reporting concerns.

How does RSE connect with safeguarding?

RSE gives pupils language for privacy, body safety, trusted adults and help-seeking and may support earlier recognition or disclosure of harm. Teaching supports but does not replace safeguarding procedures. Any disclosure, concerning question or strong reaction should be recorded and reported in line with the school’s safeguarding policy, including to the designated safeguarding lead.

What should schools tell parents about RSE lessons?

Parents should receive clear information about content, timing, which elements are statutory and any additional sex education. Schools should show a representative sample of resources, make all RSHE curriculum materials available to view on request and explain how questions, external providers and withdrawal rights are handled.

Should RSE be taught in separate lessons or through the wider curriculum?

A practical model is to use planned lessons supported by wider school practice. Dedicated lessons make coverage and progression visible, while classroom routines, assemblies, reading, pastoral work and behaviour expectations reinforce learning. Wider provision should support, not replace, the planned curriculum.

What makes a primary RSE curriculum age appropriate?

Content should match pupils’ age, stage, prior knowledge and needs while remaining accurate. Age-appropriate does not mean delaying essential safeguarding or puberty knowledge. It means careful sequencing, clear vocabulary, suitable examples and appropriate adjustments so that pupils with SEND can access the learning.

Does Year 6 need a different approach?

Year 6 should consolidate earlier learning about puberty, relationships, safety and help-seeking while preparing pupils for secondary school and increased exposure to misinformation. It should not carry the whole curriculum. Where a school provides additional sex education, the revised guidance recommends teaching it in Year 5 and/or Year 6.

How often should schools review their RSE curriculum?

An annual alignment check is useful, supported by fuller reviews when statutory guidance changes, a scheme is replaced, staff confidence is weak or pupil needs shift. Leaders should compare the written curriculum with what is actually taught.

How does science fit into the primary RSE curriculum?

Science provides related biological knowledge, including external body parts, growth from birth to old age, puberty and reproduction in plants and animals. Maintained schools must follow the national curriculum programmes of study. Academies must teach science but are not required to follow the national curriculum.
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Key takeaways

  • The formal statutory primary subject is Relationships Education, although schools commonly use RSE as shorthand.
  • Health Education is compulsory in state-funded schools, while independent schools have separate PSHE requirements.
  • The revised DfE guidance applies from 1 September 2026 and recommends primary sex education in Years 5 and/or 6.
  • Parents cannot withdraw pupils from Relationships Education, Health Education or science, but may request withdrawal from additional primary sex education.
  • A strong curriculum develops friendship, family, respect, boundaries, online safety, body knowledge, puberty and help-seeking across the primary years.
  • Year 6 should consolidate earlier learning rather than carry the whole curriculum.
  • Policy, teaching materials, staff practice, safeguarding and parent communication should describe the same curriculum.
  • A purchased scheme supports delivery, but the school remains responsible for statutory coverage, suitability and quality assurance.
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Conclusion

The RSE curriculum in primary schools should operate as a coherent sequence of learning. Pupils build an increasingly secure understanding of relationships, safety, health, dignity and growing up. Coverage matters, but the quality of the sequence, the consistency of staff language and the connection with safeguarding are equally important.

For September 2026, leaders should check that statutory Relationships Education and Health Education outcomes are fully mapped, any primary sex education is clearly identified and parent information accurately explains materials and withdrawal rights. Year 5 and Year 6 content should be supported by strong foundations rather than added as an isolated final block.

Muse Wellbeing provides a structured primary PSHE curriculum that includes statutory Relationships Education and Health Education. Schools can use the Muse Wellbeing PSHE and RSE scheme of work to review year-group coverage and progression, while fully resourced lessons, teacher guidance and supporting documents help staff deliver the curriculum consistently. 
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