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This resource is a revision of Sexuality Education: A guide for principals, boards of trustees, and teachers (2015) (#4734). The guide has been refreshed, and released in two parts (Years 1-8 and Years 9-13) in response to the 2018 Education Review Office report into sexuality education in schools, Promoting Wellbeing through Sexuality Education (#5975).

What's new: The new guidelines make explicit the key learning at each curriculum level. This key learning includes ideas for building a young person’s life skills – emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and environmental. The revised title reflects the Ministry’s focus on relationships as an essential part of sexuality education. This resource is intended for all state and state integrated English-medium schools in Aotearoa New Zealand with ākonga (students) in years 1–8 and 9–13.

The guidance inside this resource continues to draw on Hutchison’s (2013) core recommendations and also incorporate the latest research on relationships, gender, sexuality, and wellbeing. It takes into account the cultural and social changes noted above and the related interagency work to prevent violence. They also reflect Aotearoa New Zealand’s ongoing commitments to national and international legislation, including Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Human Rights Act (1993).

How does this fit into the New Zealand Curriculum?

Learning about relationships and sexuality is part of the New Zealand Curriculum and is one aspect of health education (within health and physical education). Other learning in health education includes mental health education, drug and alcohol education, safety and violence-prevention education, and food and nutrition studies. Learning about health more broadly is essential for the ongoing wellbeing of all the communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. (From the website). See the website for more resources and information about using them in your school. Record #6821