RSHE
Consultation
The Department for Education has published revised statutory guidance for Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE), which came into effect from September 2026. The revised guidance places greater emphasis on matters including parental transparency, age-appropriate sequencing of the curriculum, online harms and pornography, consent and coercion, sexual harassment and misogyny, mental health and suicide prevention, and the careful and balanced treatment of sensitive issues.
As a Catholic school, our approach to RSHE continues to be rooted firmly in the teachings of the Catholic Church and in our belief in the dignity of every human person. The revised policy does not change that fundamental approach. It updates our existing policy, such that it reflects the new statutory guidance while maintaining our Catholic ethos and our commitment to working in partnership with parents.
We are now consulting parents and carers on the revised policy. The draft policy and the school's RSHE curriculum map, and some sample materials are available below.
Parents are invited to submit comments during the three-week consultation period from 24th September 2026 to 15th October 2026 emailing schooladmin@bishopdouglass.barnet.sch.uk.
We will also hold a Parent RSHE Consultation and Information Evening on 6th October 2026 from 4.30 pm until 6.30 pm. This will be a drop-in session attended by the Head of School, Head of PSHE/RSHE and Head of Catholic Life/RE. Parents will have the opportunity to discuss the revised policy, ask questions and view examples of the materials used to teach RSHE.
Following the consultation, all feedback will be considered by the Governors panel before the policy is presented to the Governing Body for formal approval.
The CES continues to state that Catholic schools must teach RSE in accordance with Church teaching and that this is compatible with the DfE statutory framework.