Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of resources for teaching children about allergies in primary schools.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

Health education has been compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools in England from September 2020, alongside relationships education for all primary pupils and relationships and sex education (RSE) for all secondary pupils. The statutory guidance sets out that pupils will be taught about the importance of good physical health and mental wellbeing to ensure they have the information that they need in order to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing. The statutory guidance for the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

The RSHE statutory guidance states that by the end of primary school pupils should know the facts and science relating to allergies, immunisation and vaccination. There is also content relating to teaching about allergies in the RSHE teacher training module on health and prevention, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-training-health-and-prevention.

Schools are responsible for what they teach and for any resources they use. The department does not direct schools on which resources, external speakers or organisations to use, and it does not endorse or promote resources to schools other than those produced by other government departments. The RSHE guidance is clear that all materials used should be age appropriate and factual.

The department is currently reviewing the RSHE statutory guidance. The review has been informed by an independent expert panel to advise the Secretary of State for Education on the introduction of age limits for sensitive subjects.

In March 2023, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, also wrote to schools to remind them that copyright law does not prevent them sharing external resources with parents. In October 2023, she wrote again to clarify that any contractual clause that prevents schools from sharing materials is void and unenforceable, and to provide practical advice on how to share materials with parents in a way that is in line with copyright legislation. The department will ensure that the updated guidance fully reflects this very clear position. The Secretary of State’s letter can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/secretary-of-state-letter-to-schools-about-sharing-curriculum-resources-with-parents.

A draft of the amended guidance will be published for consultation as soon as possible.