RSHP stands for Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood and it sits within Health and Wellbeing as a part of the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence.

In March 2025 there was a consultation about the RSHP curriculum involving professionals, pupils and parents. Following this, updated Guidance on the Delivery of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) Education in Scottish Schools, was published in February 26. You can read the full document here.

It is a very lengthy document, but Time for Inclusive Education, have created a concise and clear explanation which can be found here.

The key takeaways from the new guidance are:

• The guidance is statutory and applies to all local authority maintained schools and education settings in Scotland

• It strengthens expectations around learning on consent, online harms, gender-based violence, and LGBT inclusion

• It introduces new Thematic Outcomes, including a specific outcome on LGBT Inclusive Education

• Parents and carers should be engaged and informed to support learning at home

• Withdrawal applies only to specific sexual health elements of RSHP – not to wider learning about relationships, equality, or prejudice-based bullying.

• The purpose of RSHP is prevention and child protection

To understand what is taught at each stage, please see below: