Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve health literacy of school pupils.

The Department has made health education compulsory in all state funded schools in England, alongside making relationships education for primary pupils, and relationships and sex education for secondary pupils compulsory. This is collectively known as relationships, sex and health education (RSHE).

The Department has published implementation guidance and teacher training modules covering all RSHE topics to help schools develop their curricula and teach the subjects confidently and effectively. This guidance available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health.

Topics in the RSHE curriculum at both primary and secondary include health and prevention, healthy eating, mental wellbeing, and physical health and fitness.

The Department is reviewing the RSHE statutory guidance this year. The Department intends to publish revised guidance in 2024.