Part two of RSE investigation looked at classes at QEII
The independent report into the Relationships and Sexual Education curriculum taught at Queen Elizabeth II High School has finally been published following a lengthy redaction process.
Though given to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture on 21 July it's only been released to the public today (4 September).
Up until now an executive summary had been published.
The DESC says it had to go over the report with a fine-tooth comb to 'protect the anonymity of the parents, teachers and other stakeholders who gave up their time to contribute.'
Investigators conclude that improved communication between the school and parents and carers would enable them to make 'informed decisions' regarding the delivery of the curriculum to their children.
This, they say, should include the provision of external access to lesson plans and other supporting material.
This report is part two of a three-part report and is 50 pages long and heavily redacted.
For example the following paragraph - from the summaries of evidence regarding complaints - states:
"Most of the complaints have come from [redacted] parents. No complaints have been raised by students directly to [redacted] and no complaints have been made to [redacted] via [redacted]."
The investigators also go into detail about how the lessons were carried out - explaining how the Island's RSE advisory curriculum is based on the Scottish RSHP programme, adapted to the Isle of Man, and staff at QEII used resources shared by the department and any changes must be agreed to.
It also states: "PSHE is a popular subject with students. The suspension of the RSE curriculum will have prevented students from receiving essential information to help make informed choices to keep them safe and healthy. To not continue the curriculum in September would be failing to safeguard students."
The department says the RSE curriculum, which was introduced in secondary schools in September 2020, remains on hold and will be reintroduced in early 2024, at least.
The "debacle" - as it was occasionally referred to by those who corresponded with the investigators - started in February this year when the curriculum was paused Island-wide after parents raised concerns over the content involved.
On this the investigators state: "The media interest in February 2023 concerning the delivery of certain aspects of RSE at QEII and the 'vexatious and misleading comments' about QEII and its staff were unwarranted.
"In the opinion of [redacted] the DESC did not immediately and openly support the underlying strength of the RSE Advisory Curriculum and the sudden pausing of the programme in all schools may have led to an impression that there was something wrong with the programme."
Age appropriateness
A major concern highlighted in the correspondence with parents is the 'age appropriateness' of the content of the lessons.
Part of the report highlights someone with a particular concern about the mention of "anal sex" during part of the Year 7 "intimate relationships" lesson which discusses 'sex and what it is'.
The lesson, it's said, mentions both oral and anal sex 'to be inclusive to people of all sexual orientation'. It is said to 'not be descriptive' and 'does not encourage any sexual act'. This was the content, it's said, which caused the most issues - however, was delivered over the past two years without complaint.
In a summary of the email correspondences with parents, some say they considered the RSE lessons 'entirely appropriate' and 'to exclude anal and oral sex from discussion is to frame them as “not normal” and, in doing so, to frame LGBTQ+ people as “not normal” because these practices are commonly associated with homosexuality.'
Meanwhile, others are quoted as being 'totally disgusted' with the mention of anal sex and describe the lessons as 'the promotion of left-wing gender ideology'.
In relation to the age appropriateness of some of the curriculum content, the report says 'it must be remembered that pupils can have instant access to explicit material on their phones, where the almost limitless content is unregulated and has the potential of a dangerous impact on them.'Stats shared show by the age of nine, 10 per cent of children have seen pornography. This increases to 27 per cent by the age of 11 and 50 per cent by the time they are 13.
Investigators concede, ultimately, that PHSE lessons need some changes, and classes, at times, can be 'uncomfortable' for the teacher to deliver.
Some of the Year 7 content concerning body image is 'valuable', the report finds, while, by contrast, some of the Year 10 content 'unnecessarily graphic'.
The year 10 'condom lesson' is, for example, described as 'too advanced' for some pupils and suggests that some of the 'slides' could be amended or removed.
Communication with parents and a 'smaller, committed group of teachers'
In their final summary independent investigators Richard Power and Paul Morris add: 'To enable parents/carers to make informed decisions regarding the delivery of RSE to their children, the investigators would support an improved scheme of communication from the school to parents/carers regarding all forthcoming RSE delivery, including the provision of external access to lesson plans and other supporting material.'
One suggestion was that a pre-recorded video of the PSHE and RSE advisory curriculum on the Island would 'help the community to understand the rationale behind the curriculum'.
They also suggest: 'A smaller group of teachers with a personal commitment to RSE delivery should be encouraged to specialise in the subject and this group should receive better, thorough, regular, and high‐quality training'.
Education Minister Julie Edge said: ‘The Department of Education, Sport and Culture has taken immediate action to address the findings.
"I would like to again thank all the parents, teachers and officers who have contributed their time.
"We will work with schools to ensure that necessary changes are made and a clear plan is developed to inform the most appropriate way forward to resume delivery of RSE in early 2024."
You can read the full report HERE.
Since the publication of the report this morning, questions have been asked over the line: "The investigators are not qualified to comment on the suitability of the actual lesson content."
Minister Julie Edge has responded to these concerns on social media:
They were qualified investigators doing an investigation. They are not qualified professionally to decide what curriculum is taught in our schools.
— Julie Edge - Your Voice for Onchan (@VOTEJulieEdge) September 4, 2023
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