The New PSHE Curriculum  

The Department for Education (DfE) has released its updated statutory guidance for Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) in England in July 2025, but is it a change for the better? 

Think back ten years… what’s changed? Well, if you’re watching the new series of Education Yorkshire (which was last televised in 2014) then you will know that the answer to that first question is – quite a lot! One of the big issues now being faced by the school is the use of AI by pupils. 

We live in a different world now to what it was then and still it continues to change rapidly, impacting upon the daily lives of our pupils. These changes bring increasingly new challenges for our pupils, affecting their aspirations, self-esteem and relationships.  

In primary schools, while much of the content has remained the same or similar, the focus is on the need for pupils to learn about healthy relationships, personal wellbeing and personal safety. It recognises the importance of content being sequential, building up year on year and not exposing complex or sensitive content before pupils are able to process it. To support this, the need for pupils to develop emotional literacy where they can use appropriate vocabulary to communicate feelings and express or report concerns is also recognised as a key component in any RSHE curriculum. 

The guidance provides content for schools to work with and supports pupils in feeling safe and positive in their everyday lives.  

What are the Changes? 

Health and Wellbeing content remains broadly unchanged, with stronger emphasis on the link between physical and mental health and expanded coverage of online wellbeing and safety. 

Families, caring friendships and being safe content remains similar to previous content in relationships, with an increased emphasis on being safe and happy and, most importantly, developing the skills to achieve this. 

What’s new? 

• Online safety woven throughout: pupils learn about privacy, information sharing, understanding age restrictions, scams, fake profiles, online purchasing risks and where to ask for help. 

• Vaping: explicit teaching on the health risks of vaping and nicotine products. 

• Personal safety: everyday risks, reducing harm, and staying safe in the wider world 

• Relationships: the content on families and friendships remains consistent, with a greater focus on staying safe, being happy and the skills to achieve this. 

• Self-esteem, identity and stereotypes: there is clear guidance to help pupils build self-esteem, recognise the harm of stereotyping and develop the skills to challenge it. 

• Online relationships: a deeper focus on risks, privacy, sharing information and where to seek advice or support. 

• Sex education: not compulsory in primary, but there is a clear recommendation to include in Upper Key Stage 2; parents keep the right to withdraw. 

How it’s taught: 

• Sequenced learning: the DfE recognises that when topics are taught is of equal importance to the content itself. Schools are trusted to gradually build knowledge and skills year on year whilst at the same time recognising the developmental readiness of the pupils and local safeguarding needs. 

• Emotional literacy: this underpins everything, pupils learn to name feelings, show empathy, resolve conflict and ask for help. 

• Inclusivity and pedagogy: relatable and interactive lessons which are inclusive (including SEND) with strong emphasis on engaging pupils and parents 

• Sensitive topics: may be introduced early as a prevention for safeguarding (e.g. pressure to share images), but always without alarming or prompting curiosity 

Why it matters: 

The new RSHE guidance empowers primary schools to deliver relevant, meaningful lessons that prepare pupils to navigate both the real and digital world safely, whilst developing into kind, confident and caring young people. 

In line with the new guidelines, our updated 3D PSHE is scheduled for release this term. If you have a current 3D PSHE subscription, you can relax. We will notify you when the updated version is ready on BaseCamp.  

If you’re not a subscriber, keep an eye on our website, where we will announce when the updates have been made. https://dimensionscurriculum.co.uk/3d-pshe-resources/

If you have any questions, please get in touch on 01254 779142.