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Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE)

• Support and development
• Pupil health and wellbeing

The teaching of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is mandatory for all pupils of compulsory school age. All grant-aided schools are required to have an RSE policy that is based on consultation with parents and pupils. It is the responsibility of the Board of Governors of each school to ensure that a comprehensive programme is delivered which meets the needs of its pupils and aligns with its RSE policy.

The statutory curriculum for personal development and mutual understanding at primary level, and the personal development strand of the learning for life and work area of learning at post-primary level, includes high level prescribed content for RSE at each key stage; this is the minimum entitlement that all young people must legally receive. 

Beyond this, teachers are expected to ‘provide a balance of experiences’ drawn from a list of examples prepared by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA).

The Preventative Curriculum in Schools and EOTAS Centres

The Department commissioned the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) to conduct an evaluation of the Preventative Curriculum in Schools and Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) Centres.  Throughout the 2021-2022 academic year, ETI distributed questionnaires to schools, EOTAS Centres and pupils.  It engaged in discussions with staff, pupils, parents and governors and conducted visits to primary, post-primary and special schools and EOTAS centres.  The published report can be found at  The Preventative Curriculum in Schools and EOTAS Centres | Education Training Inspectorate  together with ‘easy read’ versions for both primary and post-primary pupils.

The Department welcomes the many strengths highlighted in the report, including: the work of staff in schools in implementing safeguarding arrangements and to support the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people; the work of governors; and the advice and support provided by Child Protection Support Service in the Education Authority.

The report also notes the growing use of social media and online safety and the challenges that these present to schools and young people is a matter of concern.

The ETI has reported considerable variation in the effectiveness and range of approaches taken by schools in delivering the taught elements of the preventative curriculum.  It also found that too many schools avoid, or cover with insufficient depth, many of the more sensitive aspects of the RSE curriculum.  The report presents an important opportunity at both system and school level, to reflect on how the preventative curriculum, of which RSE is an important part, is delivered to our children and young people, and how we can give effect to the changes needed which it identifies.

Amendments to the RSE curriculum by the Secretary of State

The Secretary of State is required by section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 to implement recommendation 86(d) of the Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination of Women (CEDAW). Therefore, Regulations to amend the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, and the Education (Curriculum Minimum Content) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 in relation to RSE key stage 3 and 4 were laid before Parliament.

The Relationships and Sexuality Education (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (the “2023 Regulations”) amend the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Education (Curriculum Minimum Content) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 in respect of Learning for Life and Work (LLW) to ensure that pupils at key stages 3 and 4 have the opportunity to “Receive age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion” (Referred to here as “Article 5(1A) education”).

The 2023 Regulations also require the Department to make provision about the circumstances in which, at the request of a parent, a pupil may be excused from Article 5(1A) education or specified elements of that education.  Under the Curriculum (Circumstances in which a Pupil may be Excused from Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Education) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023, a pupil may be excused from either all of Article 5(1A) education or specified elements of that education. 

For pupils in years 8, 9, 10 and 11 the circumstances are, where a parent makes a request for a pupil to be excused from Article 5(1A) education or a specified element of it by confirming which elements of the education, the pupil should be excused.

For pupils in year 12 the circumstances are, where a parent makes a request for a pupil to be excused from Article 5(1A) education or specified elements of it by confirming which elements of the education the pupil should be excused from and confirms that the pupil does not object to being excused.

The Explanatory Memorandum, which accompanies the Regulations can be found at the link below.  

NOTE: THE RSE HUB IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW

To enhance the effective delivery of RSE, CCEA developed and launched an RSE Progression Framework for years 1 to 14 on its RSE Hub containing guidance for teachers.  The online RSE Hub provides a central repository of age-appropriate information and guidance on a range of topics aimed at providing teachers with the resources and support to increase their competence and confidence in delivering RSE. 

Schools are encouraged to use the Hub to support the delivery of RSE and to consider ETI’s findings as part of your school development planning process.  Schools may also wish to consider using a School Development Day to support staff development and self-evaluation with a focus on the preventative curriculum including RSE.

The Department has set up a Task and Finish Group to consider and respond to ETI’s findings and recommended next steps and will be engaging with practitioners as part of this process. 

The Department has issued guidance to schools regarding the delivery of RSE in the context of the Regulations made by the Secretary of State which amend the Education (Curriculum Minimum Content) Order (NI) 2007.

The Department consulted on the circumstances and arrangements which would enable a parent to excuse a pupil from receiving age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion. 

The consultation is now closed.

Consultation Response

The Department’s response to the consultation was published on 5 January 2024.  It can be found at Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Consultation | Department of Education (education-ni.gov.uk)

Circular 2024/1   provides guidance in relation to the provision of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools following the Secretary of State’s amendments to the Learning for Life and Work (LLW) curriculum at key stages 3 and 4.  It is intended to support post-primary schools as they update their RSE policies and teaching provision in response to these changes.  The Circular also provides guidance in respect of the circumstances in which a parent can request to have a pupil excused from the new elements of Relationships and Sexuality Education. 

• May Letter to Schools
• June Letter to Schools
• August Letter to Schools
• Consultation Letter to Schools
• September Letter to Schools
• September Information for Parents
• Circular 2024/01 Guidance on Amendments to the Relationship and Sexuality Education
• Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland - 2023 No. 222 - Curriculum
• Explanatory Memorandum to Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland - 2023 No. 222 - Curriculum

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New requirements for Relationship and Sexuality Education curriculum in Northern Ireland

The UK Government is updating the requirements for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) curriculum in Northern Ireland.

The UK Government is updating the requirements for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) curriculum in Northern Ireland, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris has announced today (Tuesday 6 June).

The Secretary of State is under a statutory duty under the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 to implement recommendation 86(d) of the Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination of Women (CEDAW).

The Regulations will amend the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, and the Education (Curriculum Minimum Content) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 in relation to Key Stage 3 and 4.

They will make age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion, a compulsory component of curriculum for adolescents.

They will also place a duty on the Department of Education to issue guidance on the content and delivery of the education to be provided by 1 January 2024.

The Department will also be under a statutory duty to make Regulations about the circumstances in which at the request of a parent, a pupil may be excused from receiving that education, or specified elements of that education.

Consultation with parents on Relationship and Sexuality Education is already common practice in Northern Ireland and we expect the Department of Education to ensure schools afford parents the opportunity to review relevant materials.

The Regulations, in practice, will result in educating adolescents on issues such as how to prevent a pregnancy, the legal right to an abortion in Northern Ireland, and how relevant services may be accessed.

This should be done in a factual way that does not advocate, nor oppose, a particular view on the moral and ethical considerations of abortion or contraception.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable Chris Heaton-Harris, said:

“It is fundamental for their wellbeing that adolescents in Northern Ireland have access to age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights that covers access to abortion and contraception.

“Today I have made Regulations that will amend the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, and the Education (Curriculum Minimum Content) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 to introduce compliant education, in line with recommendations from the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.

“I look forward to working with the Department of Education to ensure the delivery and implementation of these measures, which will include meaningful engagement with young people, teachers and parents.”

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Sex education in Northern Ireland schools: a critical evaluation

2005, Sex Education

To date there has been little research on young people and sexuality in Northern Ireland. This paper draws on the first major study in this area to analyse the delivery of formal sex education in schools. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to access young people's opinions about the quality of the sex education they had received at school. Overall, they reported high levels of dissatisfaction, with notable variations in relation to both gender and religious affiliation. In one sense their opinions mesh well with those of young people in other parts of these islands. At the same time the specificity of sexuality in Ireland plays a key role in producing the moral system that underlies much of formal sex education in schools. Underpinned by a particularly traditional and conservative strain of Christian morality, sex education in Northern Ireland schools is marked by conservatism and silence and by the avoidance of opportunities for informed choice in relation to sexuality on the part of young people.

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In this chapter, we provide an overview and critical examination of published research concerning the impact of religious involvement on the outcomes of sexuality and sexual health across the life course. We take a broad approach, focusing on a variety of important topics, including sexual behavior, sexual health education, abortion attitudes and behavior, HIV/AIDS, attitudes toward gays and lesbians, and the lived experiences of sexual minorities. In the future, researchers should (1) employ more comprehensive measures of religious involvement, (2) investigate understudied outcomes related to sexuality and sexual health, (3) explore mechanisms linking religion, sexuality, and sexual health, (4) establish subgroup variations in the impact of religious involvement, and (5) formally test alternative explanations like personality selection and social desirability. Research along these lines would certainly contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of religious variations in sexuality and sexual health across the life course.

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While three-quarters of the population in Ireland still declare to be Catholic in census data collection, the position and role of the Catholic Church has changed dramatically. A fruitful relationship between the state, church, and nation that developed in the 19th century became meaningfully embedded in social and political relations from the 1920s. Involvement of the church in the running of education, health, and welfare meant that its "moral monopoly" extended into both the institutional and individual spheres of life. The Irish Republic relied on the church organizations and personnel to provide education and guidance in absence of the state's infrastructure and Will to consolidate the new political entity around a state-building project based on inclusivity, reciprocity, and diversity. The confessional state that emerged with its own constitution favored one religion over others, economic stagnation over progress, and patriarchal social values over equality. The internal processes of social change and the external impetus for economic development sent Ireland into modernization and changes in attitudes and behaviors. It became obvious that the church did not hold a monopoly on truth and that accountability of the relations between the state and the church should be called into question. Economic prosperity propelled Ireland into the world of consumerism, materialism, and instant gratification, teaching a new generation that religion helps keep your parents appeased and at times can provide solace, and that the Catholic Church is just an institution that seems to be around but nobody is quite sure what its role is. The vicariousness of the church coupled with cultural Catholicism makes the Ireland of today more open to change.

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ABSTRACT In Nigeria, sex education is yet to be integrated into the curriculum of secondary school education and many parents are reluctant to discuss sexuality and sexual health openly with their adolescent children. However, little has been investigated on the perception of parents on sexuality education towards their adolescent children. Therefore, this study examined parents’ perception regarding sexuality education among their adolescent children in Offa and Ijagbo communities in Kwara state, Nigeria. Guided by Social Cognitive theory and cultural socialization theory, the study design adopted for this study is survey while samples were drawn from the study population and inferences were then made about the population. Data collection was used to utilize quantitative techniques which include structured questionnaire. The process of data collection was guided by the social science research ethics: confidentiality, beneficence, non-maleficence and voluntariness. Data analysis was descriptive and bivariate using frequency counts and chi-square test of association. Findings illustrated that 78.9% of the respondents affirmed that they have heard of sexuality education, while 21.1% have not. The negative perception of parents on their adolescents in discussing sexuality issues with them revealed a significant association (χ2 = 86.89, p< .05) and conclusion were drawn from parents that religion is a key factor in discussing sexuality education with adolescents’ children (χ2 = 37.77, p< .05). The study envisaged that parents’ perception on sexuality education should be taught by mothers and religion is a key factor in discussing certain sexual topics with their adolescents. Educated parents are equipped with correct and adequate knowledge of sexuality education. This no doubt has serious consequences on sexuality matters as related to young population who are sexually active and have poor knowledge of sex education as regarding addressing issues related to their sexuality, which has implications for educational interventions in Nigeria. Key Words: adolescent, parents, perception, sexuality, Word Count: 296

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Goals: To gain an understanding of the knowledge and attitudes of young people in different countries in order to ascertain their needs and ultimately provide for those. In addition, a cross cultural analysis of the data will provide a clear picture of the commonalities and differences in attitudes and needs, providing the opportunity to share best practices and materials amongst participating countries, which will lead to strengthened ties in the field of SRHR as a secondary output. Participating countries: Armenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Poland. Sample: 50 young people from each country aged 16-24. Material/Method: ASTRA Youth has used a Questionnaire, which is adapted from one created by Ms. Christiana Kouta, Cyprus Family Planning Association. The survey was quantitative and only closed questions were used. All respondents filled out questionnaires translated into their native language. The respondents filled the questionnaire individually. A summary and goals of the research project had been given to each subject by interviewer, however each subject filled out the questionnaire alone, with no assistance or further explanation of the questionnaire content, in order to avoid interviewer bias.

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Home / Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in Northern Ireland: What’s happening?

> Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in Northern Ireland: What’s happening?

Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in Northern Ireland: What’s happening?

14 August 2023 9 minute read

A four-page leaflet circulated by the lobby group Truth Behind RSE NI (TBRNI) makes multiple claims regarding Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in Northern Ireland.

We’ve taken a look and found the following:

• Abortion: The claim that “the Secretary of State wants […] abortion taught in the new school year of 2023/2024 at secondary schools” is ACCURATE. However, there is nothing to suggest that abortion is being encouraged or promoted.
• “Transgenderism”: The claim that “the Secretary of State wants transgenderism […] taught in the new school year of 2023/2024 at secondary schools” is INACCURATE . Neither the Secretary of State’s announcement nor the CEDAW report or its recommendations make any reference to what TBRNI term “‘transgenderism”. 
• Children taught to obtain sexual pleasure: The claim that children will be taught to obtain sexual pleasure is INACCURATE . The CCEA framework suggests within a section on healthy relationships that GCSE-aged pupils (14-16) should be able to “describe pleasure, rights, empowerment, sexism and feminism”.
• Promiscuity: TBRNI also claim that “ironically, relationships and sexuality education programs fail to teach children about all of the emotional, psychological and physical health risks of promiscuous sexual activity”. This is INACCURATE . There are regular references to being self-aware of feelings and emotions, and ways to improve emotional wellbeing.
• Mandatory RSE lessons: The claim that RSE lessons are mandatory is INACCURATE . CCEA’s RSE Guidance for Parents and Boards of Governors explains that while there is currently no legislative provision permitting parental withdrawal from sex education, schools can grant requests from parents and carers on an individual basis. 
• The current CCEA guidance for schools is much less detailed and prescriptive than the international documents about sexuality education that TBRNI highlight and base most of their leaflet on – only one of these (the UNESCO technical guidance) is even referred to by CCEA in their RSE curriculum hub.
• What is RSE?

Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) has been part of the Northern Ireland school curriculum since 2007. As well as conducting and moderating examinations, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA) publishes resources to help teachers deliver the NI Curriculum. Its website describes RSE as “a lifelong process”.

“It helps children and young people acquire knowledge, understanding and skills, and develop attitudes, beliefs and values about relationships, sexual identity, and intimacy. Effective RSE, which is taught in a sensitive and inclusive manner, encourages children and young people to value themselves as individuals and to make responsible and well-informed decisions about their lives.”

RSE is taught through Personal Development and Mutual Understanding in primary school (Foundation and Key Stages 1 and 2 covering ages 4-11) and Learning for Life and Work at secondary school (Key Stages 3 and 4, ages 11-16).

The Department of Education notes that (at Key Stages 3 and 4) “issues relating to RSE may also be taught through other subjects including religious education (ethics), biology (the body and reproduction) and history (assessment of the treatment of minorities in the past compared to now).”

The statutory curriculum includes a prescribed minimum content in relation to RSE. Schools have flexibility to decide on how best to deliver RSE to meet the needs of pupils within the context of each school’s distinctive ethos (which can include the moral and religious principles held by parents and school management authorities).

All grant-aided schools must already develop and make available their own policy on how they will address Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE), consulting with parents and pupils, and endorsed by the Board of Governors.

• What is changing? And when will it change?

On 6 June 2023, Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris announced that the UK Government was updating the requirements for the Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) curriculum in Northern Ireland.

According to the Northern Ireland Office , the changes were needed as “the Secretary of State is under a statutory duty under the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 to implement recommendation 86(d) of the Report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination of Women (CEDAW)”.

The NIO statement said that: “they will make age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion, a compulsory component of curriculum for adolescents” and “place a duty on the Department of Education to issue guidance on the content and delivery of the education” by 1 January 2024.

As part of the Northern Ireland Executive, the Department of Education has devolved responsibility for the local curriculum. However, there is currently no Minister in place . 

The Secretary of State made Regulations to amend the Education (Curriculum Minimum Content) Order 2007 (Northern Ireland) to add additional topics to the RSE curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4 (ages 11-16).

In a letter to schools in June , the Department acknowledged that while schools may already be addressing the topic of abortion in their RSE programme, “there is no expectation that you would do so ahead of the Guidance being issued by the Department accompanied by support materials later in the year”.

The additions to the minimum RSE content will be taught no sooner than 1 January 2024.

• Who is CEDAW and what did their report say?

CEDAW is the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. Paragraph 86 (d) of the report recommended that the UK Government:

Make age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights a compulsory component of curriculum for adolescents, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion, and monitor its implementation.

This is the paragraph that the Secretary of State’s announcement word-for-word refers to.

The claim is accurate that “the Secretary of State wants … abortion taught in the new school year of 2023/2024 at secondary schools”.

However, there is nothing to suggest that abortion is being encouraged or promoted.

The Secretary of State (and the CEDAW recommendations) just require “age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion”.

And (see below) parents and carers will be able to withdraw their children from part or all lessons that cover “prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion”.

• “Transgenderism”?

Neither the Secretary of State’s announcement nor the CEDAW report and its recommendations make any reference to what Truth About RSE NI refer to as ‘transgenderism’.

While the term ‘transgenderism’ is never used, the existing RSE curriculum already requires teaching on LGBTQ+ matters including the use of appropriate terminology and language and understanding the impact of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

Meeting CEDAW’s 86 (d) recommendation does not require any change to the curriculum or guidance around sexuality. This part of the claim is not accurate.

• Teaching children to obtain sexual pleasure?

Does CCEA suggest that children are taught “how to obtain sexual pleasure in various ways” as claimed by TBRNI?

The framework suggests within a section on healthy relationships that GCSE-aged pupils (14-16) should be able to “describe pleasure, rights, empowerment, sexism and feminism”.

A section on sexual behaviours for older students (post-16) suggests that they should be able to recognise that sex should be pleasurable and that some behaviours can be dangerous, be respectful of people’s different desire about types of sexual behaviour/intimacy, recognise that both male and female orgasms are a sensation of intense sexual pleasure, know the role of Viagra and why it may be needed.

While there is a statutory minimum set of content that must be taught, the method in which schools and teachers deliver the curriculum is not set in stone. CCEA provide a non-statutory RSE Progression Framework ( PDF ) that shows how different themes could be covered across different stages and ages.

In a section claiming that UNESCO and the World Health Authority are “openly promoting [the teaching] to young children [of] masturbation, pornography, sexual techniques, encouragement of minors to engage in same sex relationships”, TBRNI’s leaflet describes the UNESCO’s International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education , as “the official guideline for all public schools around the world.”

This mischaracterises the document which explains in its foreword that the “guidance enables national authorities to design comprehensive curricula that will have a positive impact on young people’s health and well-being”. The foreword adds that the guidance “is voluntary, based on the latest scientific evidence, and designed to support countries to implement effective sexuality education programmes adapted to their contexts”.

CCEA says that the themes are “aligned” to international evidence-based frameworks like UNESCO’s though it is clear from reading the CCEA framework that it goes into much less detail (54 pages) than the much larger UNESCO document (139 pages).

The whole of page three of TBRNI’s leaflet is devoted to a description of the World Health Authority’s Standards for Sexuality Education . TBRNI describe the WHO document as an example of a “driving force behind RSE”. However, it is not referenced in any support material on the CCEA RSE website.

• Promiscuity?

TBRNI also claim that “ironically, relationships and sexuality education programs fail to teach children about all of the emotional, psychological and physical health risks of promiscuous sexual activity.”

This misrepresents the evidence on the CCEA RSE hub and the non-statutory RSE progression framework.

There are regular references to being self-aware of feelings and emotions, and ways to improve emotional wellbeing. Regarding physical health risks of multiple sexual partners, a Key Stage 4 unit specifically suggests “limiting your number of sexual partners” as a way of preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections and to “avoid overlapping relationships”.

• Are RSE lessons mandatory?

CCEA’s RSE Guidance for Parents and Boards of Governors explains that while there is currently no legislative provision permitting parental withdrawal from sex education, schools can grant requests from parents and carers on an individual basis. Announcing the changes in a written statement to the House of Commons, the Secretary of State, acknowledged this “mechanism” with regard to the new curriculum aspects on abortion.  

In response to queries from FactCheckNI, a representative from the Department of Education (DoE) stated:

“The Department is required to make and lay regulations to provide for a parent to have their child excused from classes providing age-appropriate and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion.”

According to the Department of Education, officials have already commenced work on a full public consultation to inform how RSE is extended in Northern Ireland. At the time of publishing this fact check, the consultation has not yet been launched.

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Sex Education in Northern Ireland Schools: a Critical Evaluation.

• Identities, Lifestyle and Culture

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AU - Rolston, Bill

AU - Simpson, Audrey

PY - 2005/5

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AB - To date there has been little research on young people and sexuality in Northern Ireland. This paper draws on the first major study in this area to analyse the delivery of formal sex education in schools. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to access young people's opinions about the quality of the sex education they had received at school. Overall, they reported high levels of dissatisfaction, with notable variations in relation to both gender and religious affiliation. In one sense their opinions mesh well with those of young people in other parts of these islands. At the same time the specificity of sexuality in Ireland plays a key role in producing the moral system that underlies much of formal sex education in schools. Underpinned by a particularly traditional and conservative strain of Christian morality, sex education in Northern Ireland schools is marked by conservatism and silence and by the avoidance of opportunities for informed choice in relation to sexuality on the part of young people.

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JF - Sex Education

‘Highly concerning’: Churches hit out at report on sex education within NI schools

Churches in Northern Ireland have said a new report from the Human Rights Commission into the teaching of relationship and sexual education fails to reflect the day to day reality in schools

Churches in Northern Ireland have said a new report from the Human Rights Commission into the teaching of relationship and sexual education fails to reflect the day to day reality in schools.

The Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC), which represents the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian Church and Methodist Church in education issues, has rejected claims made in the report, saying it had “a number of issues” which “immediately stand out”.

The report, released today, found that “some schools actively contributed to the shame and stigma surrounding unplanned pregnancy and abortion, by making statements such as ‘abortion is not a means of contraception and those who knowingly engage in casual sex must bear the consequences of their actions’.”

It also said about two-thirds of post-primaries promoted abstinence in their sex education policies and concluded that many schools in Northern Ireland “do not meet human rights standards to which government is bound”.

• Essential all sides of sex education in schools debate are involved and heard
• At long last, an end to faith-based sex education in NI schools

Dr Andrew Brown, Chair of the Transferor Representatives’ Council, said: “TRC will take time to consider the report from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and its recommendations.

“That the NIHRC was able to access RSE policies from over 120 post-primary schools across Northern Ireland is in stark contrast to claims within the 2018 CEDAW Report, which formed the basis for the Commission’s investigation, that RSE is ‘underdeveloped or non-existent’.

“It is very disappointing that during the course of their 16 month-long investigation the NIHRC did not speak to teachers, students, governors, or parents, or find time to observe the teaching of RSE in the classroom.

“The recommendations put forward in the report are based on a paper exercise and not at all reflective of the day-to-day reality in many of our schools, or of the professional competence and capabilities of our teachers.

”It is also highly concerning that the NIHRC is advocating that RSE can be delivered in the classroom in a way which is value-neutral and outside the parameters of school ethos.

“High-quality RSE within our schools is much more than just information based on legal, biological or medical facts.

“It involves consideration of behaviours, values and attitudes that bring meaning and purpose to our understanding of healthy and flourishing relationships.

“As an organisation committed to our schools, their governors, teachers, and pupils, TRC also remains committed to supporting the delivery of excellent RSE within our schools, which respects the needs of young people, and provides them with the opportunity to explore their own personal morals, values and beliefs.”

But the report has been welcomed by Jacquie Richardson, Chief Executive of Positive Life.

“This confirms what we have been saying for years,” she said.

“The current curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education in Northern Ireland is failing our young people by not providing them with age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education.

“It is deeply concerning that schools are actively contributing to shame and stigma surrounding sex. For those living with HIV in Northern Ireland stigma in every aspect of life is a major obstacle towards greater acceptance and understanding.

“We need to have honest and inclusive conversations as a society to ensure sex positive relationships are guaranteed for future generations.

“The Department of Education need to view today’s report as a must read while they develop statutory guidance under last week’s new regulations. Facts based teaching on relationships and sexuality must be the norm across all of our schools. It can no longer be down to an ethos educational veto.”

SDLP Children and Young People Spokesperson Cara Hunter has said the report shows the need for uniform, age-appropriate relationships and sex education (RSE).

“The findings of this report lay out exactly why I have been campaigning for uniform, age-appropriate RSE to be introduced in schools,” she said.

“While I am not surprised at many of the findings, people will be shocked and angry to learn that some schools are teaching pupils a number of harmful views, including that homosexuality is wrong, something that has no place in our schools or anywhere in our society.

“This shows the damage that can be caused in the absence of clear guidance on RSE. We need to prepare our young people for adult life by equipping them with the skills and information they need to handle difficult situations, not teaching them that someone is wrong or immoral because of who they love.

“I hope that those devising the new RSE curriculum study this report, ensure that these failings cannot be repeated in future and that young people get the education they need.”

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Sex Education in Northern Ireland Schools: A Critical Evaluation

Sex Education Vol. 5, No. 3, August 2005, pp. 217–234

29 Pages Posted: 28 Jul 2015

Bill Rolston

University of Ulster - Transitional Justice Institute

Dirk Schubotz

Queen's University Belfast

Audrey Simpson

Family Planning Association Northern Ireland

Date Written: July 26, 2005

To date there has been little research on young people and sexuality in Northern Ireland. This paper draws on the first major study in this area to analyse the delivery of formal sex education in schools. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to access young people’s opinions about the quality of the sex education they had received at school. Overall, they reported high levels of dissatisfaction, with notable variations in relation to both gender and religious affiliation. In one sense their opinions mesh well with those of young people in other parts of these islands. At the same time the specificity of sexuality in Ireland plays a key role in producing the moral system that underlies much of formal sex education in schools. Underpinned by a particularly traditional and conservative strain of Christian morality, sex education in Northern Ireland schools is marked by conservatism and silence and the avoidance of opportunities for informed choice in relation to sexuality on the part of young people.

Keywords: Sex education, Northern Ireland, young people

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Bill Rolston (Contact Author)

University of ulster - transitional justice institute ( email ).

Shore Road Newtownabbey, County Antrim BT37 OQB Northern Ireland

Queen's University Belfast ( email )

25 University Square Belfast, BT7 1NN Ireland

Family Planning Association Northern Ireland ( email )

3rd Floor, Ascot House 24–31 Shaftesbury Square Belfast, BT2 7DB Northern Ireland

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Northern Ireland secondary schools with the 10 biggest budgets for 2024-25

Three post-primary schools have been allocated over £10m each for 2024-25

• 19:17, 25 AUG 2024
• Updated 10:03, 26 AUG 2024

Schools across Northern Ireland are getting a share of just over £1.62billion from education chiefs to educate the children enrolled with them this year.

A number of factors, including the number of pupils, numbers getting free school meals, those with additional educational or social needs, their premises size and any special units within the schools all impact the amount of money they are allocated in their final budgets each academic year.

All grant-aided schools across NI have been allocated their budgets since 2005 using 'common funding formula' arrangements. In 2012, former Education Minister John O'Dowd established an independent panel, chaired by Sir Robert Salisbury, to review the CFS and determine whether it was fit for purpose.

READ MORE: GCSE 2024 NI results as 'pandemic awarding arrangements' end

Some changes were made in 2014-15, including the introduction of two separate funding streams - one for Nursery/Primary schools and one for Post-Primary schools. The bands for Targeting Social Need were retained.

A further Department of Education Review in 2017 saw more funding directly targeted at children from socially-disadvantaged backgrounds but they did not remove the 'small school support factor' which saw small schools in more affluent areas get thousands more per pupil than bigger schools in deprived areas.

Concerns about the real-time cuts in education budgets have been raised repeatedly over the past decade. Questions have also been raised about how the funding per child is carved up, while a 2022 Audit Committee report also raised issues with how schools were spending the tens of millions for Targeting Social Need.

The final 2024-2025 budget allocations have now been released by the Department of Education with three post-primary schools allocated over £10m each.

Here are the 10 NI schools awarded the most funding for the next academic year:

Four in the top 10 are voluntary grammar schools, five are secondary schools and one is a grant maintained integrated secondary school. Half of the top 10 are in Belfast, one is in Derry and the others are in Bangor , Lurgan , Bessbrook and Strabane.

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GSCE results day: What you can do next if you didn't get your grades

Teenagers in England must stay in education until they're 18 - but this doesn't have to be at school. Vocational qualifications and apprenticeships are among the paths you can take after your GSCEs.

Thursday 22 August 2024 11:12, UK

Students up and down the country are getting their GCSE results on Thursday.

Emotions can run high as pupils open their envelopes, with some passing with flying colours and others not seeing the grades they expected.

Read more: Top GCSE grades fall

Teenagers in England must stay in education until they are 18. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, they can go straight into employment.

But this doesn't just mean going to school - here we look at what else you can do if your results weren't what you'd hoped.

Can I resit - if so, when?

To progress to further education, most schools and colleges require at least a four (pass) in English language and maths on the one to nine grading system.

More on Education

GCSE results: Why grades don't tell the full story

Top GCSE grades fall as hundreds of thousands of teenagers receive their results

Eating ice lollies 'should be part of school curriculum', experts urge

Related Topics:

If you need to resit English language or maths you can do so this autumn. For other subjects, you will have to wait until summer 2025.

Sixth forms and colleges may be flexible on their entry requirements, however, so it's worth checking whether you should re-take first.

What are my options?

For most people who want to go to university, A-levels are the next step.

Students will choose three subjects and complete their qualification over two years at a school or sixth form college. Some people decide to leave their current school and choose a different one for sixth form - or opt for college instead.

If you have a degree in mind, you may already know which subjects you need to choose to get onto that course. For example - sciences and maths to study medicine.

T-levels were introduced in 2020 as a more vocational equivalent of having three A-levels.

Completed over two years, they consist of a technical qualification and a work placement of 315 hours - or 45 days.

Students who don't have grade four in English and maths will be expected to improve those skills within their T-level course. They can then be used to secure a job or move on to higher education.

Read more on Sky News: Number of top A-level grades rise A-level results day as it happened Can universities make their sums work?

Vocational qualifications

Sixth forms and colleges are increasingly offering vocational qualifications for those who want to keep learning outside of the core academic subjects.

BTECs, NVQs, and TechBacs are A-level equivalents in practical subjects with assessments throughout the course as opposed to end-of-year exams.

Popular subjects include business and management, health and social care, food and catering, and construction.

Lower level vocational qualifications have lower grade requirements, allowing people to start at Level 1 and progress.

Apprenticeships

For those who want to get into the world of work as soon as possible, apprenticeships allow you to "earn while you learn".

They take between one and five years and combine qualifications with on-the-job experience.

You are likely to begin at Level 2 and can progress up to Level 7, which is the equivalent of a bachelor's or master's degree.

People aged between 16 and 18 will earn at least £6.40 an hour and are also entitled to holiday pay.

Most entry-level apprenticeships require two or more GCSEs at grade four.

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Traineeships

Traineeships combine a work placement with a practical training course.

They are open to anyone aged between 16 and 24 who either don't have the grades, skills, or experience to secure an apprenticeship or have an education or healthcare plan.

Those with an education or healthcare plan can apply for a traineeship up to the age of 25.

They are paid or unpaid and will last between 70 and 320 hours.

Supported internships

Supported internships are designed to help people with learning difficulties or disabilities get into work.

They are unpaid work placements that last between six months and a year.

Many supported interns are given the chance to study for qualifications that compliment their role and are given a personalised study plan.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Volunteering

You can also volunteer after your GCSEs as long as you combine it with study.

Volunteers that are under 18 must do so for at least 20 hours a week as well as one day a week of part-time learning.

Volunteering is unpaid but can help you obtain valuable work experience at a charity, community project, or other organisation.

Related Topics

The 12 Best Back-to-School Shows Streaming Right Now (August 2024)

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Summer is coming to an end, and it’s time to strap on the backpack after a few months away. Every new school year brings a collection of new experiences: harder classes, students you’ve never met, and new personas to try on as you settle into who you want to be. It can feel a bit overwhelming, but there’s no better way to get into the spirit of starting up the school year again than to binge some classroom-themed shows while you pick out your first-day outfits…or just something to help procrastinate on your summer reading. Here are the best back-to-school shows streaming!

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows on Netflix , Hulu , and Max .

‘Abbott Elementary’ (2021 - Present)

Rotten tomatoes: 99% | imdb: 8.2/10.

Abbott Elementary

Created by and starring actress and comedian Quinta Brunson ( A Black Lady Sketch Show ) along with a gold-star ensemble cast, Abbott Elementary is a hilarious mockumentary-style comedy about the ragtag teaching staff at an underfunded Philadelphia elementary school. The series uses the same single-camera format as The Office and Parks and Recreation , but the subjects are much more colorful, featuring a diverse cast of varying ethnicities and sexualities. However, it’s not just the amazing representation that makes the show great. The writing is always on point, delivering oodles of character-driven hilarity while creating wholesome storylines about the scrappiness it takes to educate the next generation in a broken system .

Watch on Hulu

‘Sex Education’ (2019 - 2023)

Rotten tomatoes: 94% | imdb: 8.2/10.

Sex Education

This raunchy teen drama is one of the best ways to get in the mood to start the school year, not just because it will get your spirits up but also because it provides legitimate sex ed information that some students don’t have access to. Sex Education , starring Asa Butterfield ( The Space Between Us ), Gillian Anderson ( The First Lady ), and Ncuti Gatwa ( Doctor Who ), follows Butterfield as a secondary school kid in a fictional British town who uses his mother’s sex therapy textbooks to start an intimacy therapy clinic at school to help his fellow students. It’s a charming and relatable series that allows the subject matter to expand with each season. Also, it just wrapped up the final season , so you can binge the whole thing before the school year starts!

Watch on Netflix

‘Derry Girls’ (2018 - 2022)

Rotten tomatoes: 99% | imdb: 8.5/10.

Derry Girls

For a delightfully fun period teen comedy set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles of the mid-90s, you can’t go wrong with Derry Girls . Starring Saoirse-Monica Jackson ( The Decameron ), Louisa Harland ( The Deceived ), Nicola Coughlan ( Bridgerton ) , Jamie-Lee O'Donnell ( Screw ), and Dylan Llewellyn ( Big Boys ), the series explores the lives of regular secondary school kids in Derry during a time of political unrest and how that shapes their interactions with society — something that this current generation of students of any grade can relate to in our current political environment. For teenagers just venturing into the world, it can seem like school is your whole life, and this series manages to capture that unique feeling of a teen’s internal struggles bumping up against the struggles of their community.

‘Gilmore Girls’ (2000 - 2007)

Rotten tomatoes: 88% | imdb: 8.2/10.

Gilmore Girls

Anyone who loves a good Aaron Sorkin ( The West Wing ) banterfest but prefers coming-of-age dramas over politics is sure to enjoy Gilmore Girls created by Amy Sherman-Palladino ( The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ) and starring Lauren Graham ( Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist ) and Alexis Bledel ( The Handmaid's Tale ) as a mother-daughter duo trying to make a life for themselves in a small Connecticut town. This witty, fast-talking show is the perfect family watch as it not only focuses on the challenges of being a gifted teen who doesn’t fit in at school but also the struggles of being a single mom trying to give their child the best life they can. Though the show lacks a bit of the color I typically champion, it’s still a great binge before running off to college.

‘Freaks and Geeks’ (1999 - 2000)

Rotten tomatoes: 100% | imdb: 8.8/10.

Freaks and Geeks

Created by two titans of modern comedy, Paul Feig ( Bridesmaids ) and Judd Apatow ( Superbad ), Freaks and Geeks is a cult classic with a cast full of talent that would grow to become household names. Featuring Linda Cardellini ( Dead to Me ), Seth Rogen ( Invincible ), Jason Segel ( Shrinking ), and many more, the show eschews the traditional teen drama format that tends to focus on the romantic problems of beautiful popular kids and instead focuses on a group of outcasts who embody a realistic high school experience. Though it wasn’t appreciated as much while airing , this gem has finally gotten the respect it deserves over the last few decades as its timeless depiction of growing up resonates with each new generation.

‘Community’ (2009 - 2015)

Rotten tomatoes: 88% | imdb: 8.5/10.

Before venturing into the multiverse with Rick and Morty , Dan Harmon created this irreverently absurd sitcom featuring an ensemble cast of archetype subversions. Community follows the often meta shenanigans of a small study group at a local community college who are each so flawed in their own ways that they can’t help but get into ridiculous situations. The show is known for the clever ways it comments on the typical sitcom format while using it to create a uniquely ridiculous world. It’s definitely not your standard coming-of-age school setting (far from it), but it will get your funny bone shaking with delight — not to mention that the paintball episodes were so fantastic that they set the stage for the Russo Brothers ( Avengers: Infinity War ) to break into the MCU.

Watch on Peacock

‘Pen15’ (2019 - 2021)

Rotten tomatoes: 97% | imdb: 8.1/10.

I doubt any middle schoolers are reading this article, but if so, welcome! Does Pen15 make you feel seen? Created by and starring Maya Erskine ( Mr. & Mrs. Smith ) and Anna Konkle ( The Afterparty ), this wild comedy takes us back to the year 2000 to relive the seventh grade, with Erskine and Konkle stepping into the shoes of their younger selves. There is no gloss or CW sheen in this show — it's all the raw awkwardness of being a preteen who still hasn’t figured out their place in the world but knows they want that world filled with cute boys. There is an art to balancing the gross moments of adolescence with the grounded reality of trying to feel like a person worthy of friendship and love, and this show walks that line perfectly.

‘Elite’ (2018 - 2024)

Rotten tomatoes: 71% | imdb: 7.2/10.

Speaking of the CW sheen, Elite is a Spanish-language high school drama that follows a host of hot and hip young students at a prestigious private school and the working-class enrollment lottery winners trying to navigate the upper-class social dynamics. This show is like Euphoria but with a bit more to say about social issues plaguing burgeoning adults, like classism, exploring one’s sexuality, and discovering drugs. With only eight episodes per season, the show moves at a great pace, fleshing out each of the main characters while unfolding murderous mysteries along the way. It’s a captivating show, but make sure you don’t watch with your parents unless you are fine with them sitting next to you during the abundant intimacy scenes.

‘Friday Night Lights’ (2006 - 2011)

Rotten tomatoes: 97% | imdb: 8.7/10.

Friday Night Lights

Based on the novel and film of the same name, Friday Night Lights is an award-winning football drama full of inspirational moments with an unmatched charm. Kyle Chandler ( Godzilla vs. Kong ) steps onto the field as the head coach of a high school football team in West Texas in a small town that takes their local sports very seriously — though he’s not alone, as the series features an ensemble of amazing actors including Connie Britton ( Nashville ), Adrianne Palicki ( The Orville ), Michael B. Jordan ( Creed III ), and Jurnee Smollett ( Birds of Prey ). The show uses the framing of working together as a team to mirror the ways that their community needs to come together to address contemporary issues that young people face, like racism, reproductive rights, and wealth inequality. If you go in with clear eyes and a full heart, you can’t lose with this show.

‘Never Have I Ever’ (2020 - 2023)

Rotten tomatoes: 93% | imdb: 7.8/10.

Never Have I Ever

Actress and writer Mindy Kaling ( The Office ) presents a comedy with a hint of autobiographical flavor that follows Maitreyi Ramakrishnan ( Turning Red ) as Devi, a high school sophomore whose father’s death inspires her to rebrand herself and her friends to get to the top of the social ladder. As with many Kaling shows, Never Have I Ever is sufficiently horny while displaying a surprising amount of heart, with a lot of the emotional grounding coming from the three leads, Ramakrishnan, Ramona Young ( DC's Legends of Tomorrow ), and Lee Rodriguez ( Class of Lies ), who have excellent best friend chemistry. Anyone looking for a fun high school romp is going to get a kick out of this show.

‘Degrassi: The Next Generation’ (2001 - 2015)

Imdb: 7.6/10.

Degrassi: The Next Generation

Degrassi: The Next Generation captures a moment of time in a bottle that feels both timeless and nostalgic. This Canadian teen soap opera that ran for over a decade was the perfect ensemble series that allowed the characters to grow up alongside the viewers, allowing the topics they could cover to be more mature as the series continued. It starts with first crushes and family issues but eventually covers school shootings, sexually transmitted infections, and suicide. Also, for any Drake fans out there, this is where he got his start, and you can watch him be a big shot in a world before he got brutally walloped in a rap battle — happier times for Mr. Graham.

Watch on Tubi

‘Heartstopper’ (2022 - Present)

Rotten tomatoes: 98% | imdb: 8.6/10.

Heartstopper

Based on the graphic novel of the same name, Heartstopper is an uplifting British queer drama following Joe Locke ( Agatha All Along ) as a freshman who is secretly in love with the boy he sits next to in class. The story has a personal feel to it as it illustrates the internal struggles of the main character and his merry band of outcasts as they navigate coming out, unrequited crushes, and the bullying that students experience as they come to terms with their sexuality. It’s a heartwarming series that drips with an earnestness that many dramas aren’t bold enough to try. Moreover, the queer representation is outstanding, especially Yasmin Finney ( Doctor Who ), who uses her experience as a trans woman to portray a rich and nuanced character.

GCSE results 2024: English and maths pass rate down

GCSE results have been released today across England, revealing that the percentage of students achieving pass grades in English and maths has fallen compared with last year - and that the gap between top grades achieved in private and state schools has increased.

The results are broadly similar to those of 2023 overall, with similar proportions of both top grades and students achieving a grade 4 or better.

However, there was a marked drop in the pass rate for English language GCSEs, which has mostly been driven by results for candidates aged 17 or over who were resitting the qualification.

Around four in five students aged 17 who took English language failed to achieve a grade 4 or better this year. (You can find our in-depth subject-by-subject breakdown here .)

Speaking in a Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) briefing this morning, Claire Thomson, AQA’s director of regulation and compliance, said the drop in pass rates was “largely around the 17-year-olds and over who are skewing the distributions. If you look at just the 16-year-olds, they are very stable with minimal movement over the years.

“The 17-and-over cohort has grown and come back over pre-pandemic levels, which is altering the results.”

Ofqual told examiners to proceed with “back to normal” grading standards this year after the two-step process to return to pre-pandemic grading was completed last year.

For 2024, examiners were asked to ensure the standard of work was comparable to 2023.

The 2023 GCSE results had seen a fall in the proportion of top grades awarded from 2022, bringing grade distribution more in line with 2019 levels. The proportion of top grades remained slightly above 2019 levels.

This year, examiners were asked by Ofqual to “bear in mind any residual impact of disruption on performance”.

Below are the key takeaways from this year’s GCSE results:

• GCSE grade spread similar to 2023
• English language resit passes down
• Private and state top grades gap increases
• Regions gap remains stable
• Gender gap narrows slightly
• Results in Wales and Northern Ireland

1. Grade spread similar to last year

Overall this year, 67.4 per cent of entries were awarded a grade 4/C or above. This is only slightly lower than last year, when 67.8 per cent of entries received a grade 4 or above.

In 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, 67 per cent received a grade 4 or above.

For the higher grades, the overall proportion of entries achieving a grade 7/A or higher was 21.7 per cent. This is very similar to 2023, when it was 21.6 per cent.

And finally, in 2024, a very slightly higher proportion of entries managed to achieve grade 9 (5 per cent). In 2023 and 2019, 4.9 per cent and 4.5 per cent of overall entries got a grade 9 respectively.

2. English language resit passes down

Pass rates for English and maths GCSEs were down on last year. However, this was in part because of a marked drop in the number of students aged 17 or over who did achieve a grade 4 in English language.

Overall in English language, 61.6 per cent achieved a grade 4/C or higher, compared with 64.2 per cent in 2023 and 61.8 per cent in 2019.

The pass rate in English language for candidates who were 17 or older was 20.9 per cent this year in England - down from 25.9 per cent last year.

The results only for 16-year-old candidates saw 71.2 per cent of entries awarded grade 4 or above - very slightly down from 71.6 per cent last year.

The percentage of students achieving the grade they need to pass in maths (4) has fallen this year to 59.6 per cent. Last year, 61 per cent of students achieved grade 4 in maths.

The results for 16-year-old entries show that 72 per cent of students achieved grade 4 in maths this year, slightly down from 72.3 per cent last year.

For entries among students who are aged 17 or over, 17.4 per cent of entries achieved grade 4 or above - up from 16.4 per cent last year.

Overall, 40.4 per cent of entries failed to achieve grade 4 in maths, and 38.4 per cent in English language.

In English literature, 73.7 per cent of entries received a grade 4 or above, very slightly down from 73.9 per cent last year. However, this was still slightly above the last set of pre-pandemic results, as 73.4 per cent passed in 2019.

Last summer’s GCSE results saw an increase in the number of students failing to achieve a pass mark for English and maths, and therefore an increase in those having to resit in November.

However, less than a quarter of the students who took GCSE maths in November 2023 passed - meaning the majority failed their resits .

Leaders across the sector have called for reform to the GCSE resit system, as many students currently never pass. Earlier this week, Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at the University of Buckingham, said that the current system is “soul-destroying” , and called on the government to make a change.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, said that the current GCSE resit policy for English and maths “must be scrapped”.   “Those students who haven’t achieved the required grade are forced into repeated resits that are demotivating and can lead to disengagement with their learning,” he said.

Instead, Mr Whiteman said alternative qualifications in maths and English would be a more positive way for some students to demonstrate their achievements.

3. Private and state top grades gap increases

This year has also seen the gap between entries from academies and independent schools grow for achieving the top grades. Nearly half of entries from private schools achieved a grade 7/A or above (48.4 per cent), compared with 21.2 per cent of academies - a 27.2 percentage point gap.

Last year, there was a 26.5 percentage point gap between the proportion of entries from academies (21 per cent) and entries from independent schools (47.5 per cent) being awarded a grade 7 or above.

At secondary comprehensives, 19.4 per cent of entries achieved the top grades.

Statistics for independent schools also include city training colleges.

There was a slightly larger gap in 2023 between secondary comprehensive entries hitting the top grades (19.3 per cent) and independent schools of 28.2 percentage points.

However, the gap between school types was slightly lower in 2024 than in 2019, when there was a 27.5 percentage point between academies and independent schools and a 29.3 percentage point gap between comprehensive and private schools.

Schools minister Catherine McKinnell congratulated students and teachers on their achievements today but added: “While this is a moment to celebrate, I am deeply concerned about the inequalities in our education system with where you live and what type of school you attend still being too big an influence on your opportunities.”

4. Regions gap remains stable

The attainment gap between the North and South of England has also remained very similar to last year in terms of top grades.

The proportion of entries achieving a grade 7/A or above was lowest in the North East at 17.8 per cent. This is compared with London, where 28.5 per cent of entries made the grade 7/A.

Last year, the North East also saw the lowest proportion of top grades, with 17.6 per cent achieving a grade 7 or above. London remained the highest, with 28.4 per cent of entries being awarded those top grades.

That 10.8 percentage point gap was up from 9.3 percentage points in 2019. It has remained constant this year at 10.7 percentage points.

Senior leaders said earlier this year they were concerned about Year 11 exam readiness as absence remained high this spring term.

Absence has been particularly high among the most disadvantaged students. There is a higher proportion of disadvantaged students in the North.

Last week, education secretary Bridget Phillipson pledged to turn around “baked-in” educational inequalities and accused the previous government of leaving a legacy of regional “disparities” in exam outcomes and an attainment gap between private school students and their peers in state schools.

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said that the results show “significant differences” in regional outcomes for GCSEs in England.

“This suggests that relative levels of prosperity and socioeconomic disadvantage continue to play a huge part in educational outcomes,” he said. “Addressing these gaps must be a key priority for the new government working alongside the education sector.”

He added that “funding and teacher shortages, combined with post-pandemic issues around mental health, behaviour and attendance, have made circumstances particularly challenging”.

5. Gender gap narrows slightly

For 2024, the gender gap very slightly narrowed with 70.8 per cent of entries from girls achieving a grade 4/C or above compared with 64.1 per cent of boys - a 6.7 percentage point gap.

Last year, 71.3 per cent of all entries from girls achieved a grade 4 or above, compared with 64.4 per cent of entries from boys - a gap of 6.9 percentage points.

This 6.9 percentage point gap was narrower than in 2019, when 71.4 per cent of girls achieved a grade 4 or above compared with 62.7 per cent of boys.

Entries from girls were also more likely to receive top grades, with 24.4 per cent being awarded a grade 7/A, compared with 18.9 per cent of boys this year.

This was a slight narrowing of the gap from last year, when there was a 5.8 percentage point gap between girls and boys getting the top GCSE grades.

Girls continue to get more grade 9s than boys at 5.8 per cent of entries compared with 4.2 per cent.

The Education Policy Institute (EPI) highlighted recently that the gender gap that has seen girls generally attain higher for many years has been narrowing since the pandemic.

Up to 2023, this narrowing has not only been driven by some increases in attainment for boys at key stage 4, but also some falls in attainment for girls.

6. Wales and Northern Ireland: slight rise in top grades

In Northern Ireland, 31 per cent of GCSE students achieved a grade A/7 or above in 2024, compared with 30.5 per cent in 2019. Meanwhile, 82.7 per cent of exam entries received a grade C/4 or above, similar to the 82.2 per cent of entries in 2019.

In Wales, 19.2 per cent of students achieved an A/7 or above, compared with 18.4 per cent in 2019. This year, 62.2 per cent of exam entries received a C/4 or above - only slightly lower than the 62.8 per cent of entries that achieved this in 2019.  

• GCSE results 2024: how did each subject perform?
• GCSE resits: everything you need to know
• How much does attendance really affect GCSE results?
• Government ‘should rethink soul-destroying resits’
• Concern over exams’ impact on student mental health  

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Critic’s Notebook

At Edinburgh Festival, Sometimes Simpler Is Better

The event’s best theater production avoided the gimmicks of other shows in favor of well-drawn characters and well-written dialogue.

By Houman Barekat

Reviewing from Edinburgh

If you say “Edinburgh Festival” to most people, they’ll probably think of the Fringe. But the Fringe — primarily a showcase of up-and-coming acts from English-speaking countries — is actually an offshoot of the more global, highbrow and judiciously curated Edinburgh International Festival, and the two events run side-by-side.

The theater offerings in this year’s International Festival showcase the brightest Scottish talent alongside shows from around the world and fall into two categories: While the international plays are overtly political, encompassing disability rights, antiracism and ecology, the homegrown works explored the more personal terrain of addiction, recovery and self-care.

One of the most eye-catching items on the bill was a metafictional spin on “Hamlet” by the Peruvian company Teatro La Plaza, which ran at the Royal Lyceum Theater Edinburgh earlier this month. This production, performed by eight young actors with Down syndrome, charts the journey of a similar, but fictional, group as it prepares to put on a production of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy. The actors perform snatches of “Hamlet” — there’s a murdered father, a ghost, a play within a play — and try to connect its story line to disability: Polonius’s protectiveness toward Ophelia, we are told, echoes society’s tendency to infantilize people with Down syndrome.

But there isn’t much thematic overlap, and this “Hamlet” is mainly a cipher for the power of storytelling. In a key scene, Álvaro (Álvaro Toledo) sees Jaime (Jaime Cruz) trying to replicate Laurence Olivier’s famous performance in the 1948 film adaptation, which plays on the screen behind him. Álvaro upbraids Jamie for trying to play the part “like a statue.” The message, that people with Down’s must carve out their own paths rather than assimilating to normative expectations, is later reiterated in a defiant punk rock routine.

The cast appears in casual rehearsal attire, but a dazzling selection of spotlights (by Jesús Reyes) injects a sense of magic. The actors are capable and immensely charismatic, and there are a number of funny moments including a fake Skype chat with Ian McKellen. But Chela De Ferrari’s script fades toward the end as the concept drowns out the story and the play lapses into a cloying mushiness that sits uneasily with its anti-condescension message.

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