Schoolchildren are to be given lessons in gay relationships, mental health and the importance of exercise, it has been announced.
Health education will be a mandatory part of the curriculum for all primary and secondary schools in England from autumn 2020, according to Department for Education (DfE) proposals.
Under the plans, which are now open to consultation, pupils will learn about the dangers of spending too much time on social media and how to treat LGBT people with respect.
It comes amid growing concerns about mental health issues among young people.
Primary and secondary school children will learn about gay relationships, mental health and exercise under new Government plans. File image used
Classes will also cover physical health, such as the importance of exercise, and healthy eating and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle as well as preventing health problems.
The proposals are being published alongside draft guidance on relationships and sex education, which will include new guidelines on how to teach youngsters about gay and transgender people.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds said that good physical and mental health is ‘at the heart of ensuring young people are ready for the adult world’.
‘By making health education compulsory we are giving young people the tools they need to be ready to thrive when they leave school.’
Under legislation passed last year, relationships education is now compulsory in all primary schools, while sex and relationships education is compulsory in secondaries.
As part of the move, guidance on the subject is being updated, amid concerns that the current advice is out of date and fails to address modern day issues such as cyber-bullying, sexting and online safety.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said: ‘The government’s announcement today covers important elements like online safety and LGBT issues as well as sex and relationships and mental and physical health, but does not go as far as PSHE.
‘We are also disappointed to note that the government is rolling back on their commitment to statutory relationships and sex education by September 2019, with the deadline pushed back a year.’
But the proposals provoked concern among some experts, who said there was a danger youngsters might be taught to be too introspective.
Alan Smithers, professor of education at the University of Buckingham, said: ‘It’s extremely well-intentioned but it sounds very hard to implement.
If you leave it up to teachers’ interpretation, it is going to come out in all sorts of different ways – some of which may not be particularly helpful. Mental health is extremely important, but there is a danger in simplifying these matters too much.
‘It is possible that dwelling on these matters could easily make children concerned without necessarily making life better for them.’
The plans come amid growing concerns about mental health issues among young people