Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to review the content and delivery of relationships, sexual health and parenthood education (RSHP) in schools to ensure that it is age and stage appropriate, including for neurodivergent pupils.
RSHP education is designed to help children and young people build positive relationships as they grow older and should present facts in an objective, balanced and sensitive manner within the framework of curricular values and an awareness of the law. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring all children and young people receive high quality RSHP education, which is an integral part of the health and wellbeing area of the curriculum. Revised statutory RSHP teaching guidance was published in February 2026 which reinforces age and stage appropriate content and learning.
Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) is the national approach to learning and teaching for young people aged 3 to 18 and is underpinned by the values of wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity. CfE provides learners with a range of personalised learning experiences based on internationally agreed standards and research evidence on age appropriate education which children and young people need as they grow and develop into adolescence and young adulthood. Education Scotland has been leading on development and delivery of the new Curriculum Improvement Cycle, a planned and systemic approach to strengthening the curriculum to ensure it remains forward looking and supports more consistent teaching and learning experiences and improved attainment and achievement of our children and young people.
This universal design principle directly applies to RSHP lessons where teachers must ensure learning is accessible for all while accommodating diverse communication styles, processing speeds, and sensory profiles. Education Scotland’s neurodiversity resources published on their website provide teachers with help to support neurodivergent learners.