Children under the age of nine should not be taught about sex in schools, the Government is expected to say.
New guidance will advise against providing any sex education to pupils below Year 5, according to The Sun. Schools will be told not to have "explicit" conversations about sex until Year 9, which will include topics like contraception, sexually transmitted infections and abortion.
Ministers will also insist that gender ideology is a "contested subject" that should not be taught proactively. A memo sent to Cabinet members by Education Secretary Gillian Keegan reportedly said sex education "will not be taught before Year 5". Ms Keegan's office declined to comment when approached by The Mirror.
The long-delayed guidance was ordered last year after Rishi Sunak came under pressure from Tory MPs over reports of inappropriate content being taught in schools. The review was expected to look at slapping age ratings onto lessons and ensuring schools have high quality teaching materials.
Policing minister Chris Philp said the new guidance is expected to come into force quickly. He told GB News: "As a parent as well, I don't want my children, to be honest, to be exposed to inappropriate content at a pretty young age and nor do I want politically contested ideas like the trans issues being taught as if they're facts. I think childhood is a really special time and I don't think we need to introduce some of these ideas too early."
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It comes after a push for a crackdown from Conservative MPs, led by former biology teacher Miriam Cates. At Prime Ministers' Questions last year, Ms Cates told MPs that children are given "graphic lessons on oral sex" and how to choke your partner safely.
She also claimed youngsters were taught there are 72 genders and were receiving "extreme, sexualising and inaccurate" lessons. Ms Cates later said she'd presented Mr Sunak with a "dossier of evidence". However this evidence - a report by the New Social Covenant Unit, which she co-founded - has since been deleted.
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The Guardian reported that the choking 'advice' referenced in the report was a blog run by a sex-positive podcaster, with no claim it was ever taught in schools. According to the leaked memo, sex education will be permitted from Year 6, but it will have to be "totally scientific". The Sun also reports that teachers will be encouraged to learn about real-world harms including stalking.
Last year Ms Cates told the Commons: "Across the country, children are being subjected to lessons that are age-inappropriate, extreme, sexualising and inaccurate, often using resources from unregulated organisations that are actively campaigning to undermine parents. This is not a victory for equality; it is a catastrophe for childhood."
Mr Sunak said at the time that he shared her worries. He said: "That is why I have asked the Department for Education to ensure that schools are not teaching inappropriate or contested content in relationships, sex and health education.
"Our priority should always be the safety and wellbeing of children. Schools should also make curriculum content and materials available to parents. As a result of all this, we are bringing forward a review of RSHE statutory guidance and will start our consultation as soon as possible."
Since September 2020, all schools have been required to teach children about relationships and health. In primary schools, the Department for Education says, children learn about building healthy, respectful relationships, focusing on family and friendships.
In secondary school, it says teachers should be "introducing knowledge about intimate relationships and sex and how to have positive and healthy sexual relationships".
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