A relationships and sex education programme for schools has not only provoked some protests among parents, it has revealed tensions within the Church over how its teaching on sexuality should be presented to children

Just before the Easter break, children arriving at St Mary’s Catholic High School in Lugwardine, Herefordshire, encountered protesters, some wearing masks and carrying placards. These read “Danger Misogyny” and “Women Are Not Receiver-Responders”. The target of the protests is a relationships and sex education programme (RSE) called A Fertile Heart.

Relationships education in primary schools and RSE in secondary schools have been mandatory in all schools across England since September last year, and A Fertile Heart was developed to provide resources for Catholic schools that would be fully in line with Catholic teaching. The primary syllabus focuses on the relationships between the person, God, others and the world around them; the secondary programme goes on to deal with sexual relationships. Topics covered include bullying, sexual abuse, the environment and fair pay.