Petition · past parliament · Department for Education

Do not remove LGBT content from the Relationships Education curriculum

Closed 104,920 signatures

What the petition asks

We believe kids should learn about this at an early age. I am sure there are many parents who want their and other children taught about LGBT issues in primary school.
There is a petition to remove this content, which we believe is discriminatory. LGBT people exist, they have the same rights as the rest of us and kids should know them and accept them without judgement or issue. Despite what their parents might believe.

Government response · 31 January 2023

Primary schools are not required to teach LGBT content but can choose to teach it in an age-appropriate way. The Department for Education has no plans to change its advice to schools on this subject.

To prepare children for life in modern Britain, pupils need to understand the world in which they are growing up. RSHE is therefore designed to give pupils the knowledge they need to lead happy, safe, and healthy lives and to foster respect for other people and for difference.

The statutory guidance states that all pupils should receive teaching on LGBT content during their school years. Secondary schools should include LGBT content in their teaching. Primary schools are strongly encouraged and enabled, when teaching about different types of family, to include families with same sex parents.

Through these subjects, children will be taught about the importance of respectful relationships and the different types of loving and healthy relationships that exist. This can be done in a way that respects everyone’s views.

The Department for Education has no plans to change its advice to schools on this subject.

Department for Education

Debate in Parliament

MPs debated this petition on 18 March 2024.

Read the transcript · Watch the debate

Timeline

20 Jan 2023 Petition opened for signatures
23 Jan 2023 Passed 10,000 signatures, requiring a government response
31 Jan 2023 Government responded
13 Apr 2023 Passed 100,000 signatures, qualifying for a parliamentary debate
20 Jul 2023 Closed to new signatures
18 Mar 2024 Debated in Parliament

Key facts

Signatures 104,920
Status Closed
Department Department for Education
Opened 20 Jan 2023
Closed 20 Jul 2023
Response 31 Jan 2023
Debated 18 Mar 2024

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.