HC Deb 19 June 1992 vol 209 cc681-2W
Ms. Richardson

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidelines are available for school governing bodies on the content and organisation of sex education; and whether they include information on tampon-related toxic shock syndrome.

Mr. Forth

The Department's circular 11/87 includes advice to school governing bodies on their responsibilities for determining their policy both on sex education and on the content and organisation of any sex education to be offered. The National Curriculum Council has issued guidance to all maintained schools in England, offering advice on how schools might incorporate topics about sex education and personal hygiene into their wider programmes of health education. Neither of the documents discusses the detailed content of the curriculum, which is for school governing bodies and teachers to decide.