The Diocese of Salford has produced a policy document for teaching sex education and PSHE, available to download.

You might also like to refer to this resource.

Here are some of the main principles that a school should always bear in mind when teaching the topic.

What are the general points to be considered in Personal Relationships, Sex Education and PSHE?

1. Parents must be given every opportunity to be the first educators in forming their child in developing personal relationships and specifically in Sex Education. Moreover, parents have a right to withdraw their children from Sex Education classes.
2. Personal Relationships, Sex Education and PSHE involve the whole person and his or her environment, history, present and future: therefore these areas do not just cover the biological aspects of the person, nor simply impart “value-free” information, but aim to form the person in love, which embraces the body, mind and spirit.
3. Chastity, the virtue that orients sexual desire towards a full appreciation of the person, must always be promoted as an underlying theme. Chastity must be recognised by all staff to be spiritual energy and not repression. Because of original sin, acceptance and directing of one’s sexuality is a very difficult struggle, even with a solid moral formation. Chastity is possible because the Holy Spirit makes the cross fruitful in our lives. Thus, a dependence on the Holy Spirit must characterize this education.  Human effort without the Holy Spirit is never sufficient.
4. It needs to be recognised that the promotion of “safe sex” is not helpful as a sufficient pedagogical approach.
5. The secular view about sex outside of marriage, contraception, sexually transmitted disease, including HIV and AIDs, and abortion should not be presented as neutral information.
6. Only those authorities or agencies that are qualified to speak on behalf of the Catholic Church should be permitted to speak to pupils or individuals on sexual or any other matter involving faith and morals. Any outside authority or agency should be authorised by the headteacher before giving any input in this field.
7. Staff in a Catholic school should be aware when referring a pupil to an outside agency for advice or counselling on issues related to Personal Relationships, Sex Education and PSHE, that where such agencies hold policies that are contrary to the teachings of the Church, they should be avoided.
8. All staff in a Catholic school are expected to support the teachings of the Church in their day-to-day dealings with pupils but especially in matters relating to Personal Relationships, Sex Education and PSHE. Any determination to undermine such teachings would be in contravention of our aims as a Catholic school to promote the Gospel.
9. The staff are accountable to parents and governors for what is taught in Personal Relationships, Sex Education and PSHE.

Cfr Bishop Patrick O’Donoghue, Fit for Mission? Schools (CTS, 2008) passim, for background to the above points.