“The fact they’ve said that, at primary level, terms like penis and vulva must be used is huge and really, really important.”

Alice Hoyle, a former school personal, social and health and economic (PSHE) education lead and sex and relationships adviser for the London Borough of Enfield, who now works to support schools nationally in this area, is reflecting on a key update in the new relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) guidance.

Specifically, on page 25, the new guidance lists several body parts that primary-aged pupils must be taught about as part of a section entitled “Developing Bodies”.

The curriculum content should include “the correct names of body parts, including the penis, vulva, vagina, testicles, scrotum, nipples,” it states.

“Pupils should understand that all of these parts of the body are private and have skills to understand and express their own boundaries around these body parts.”

New RSHE guidance

This is all entirely new - the previous guidance contained none of these terms for body parts, and, indeed, their inclusion is something of a watershed moment for any guidance on sex education.

“This is probably the best guidance we’ve had,” says Hoyle, who notes that past iterations contained no specific words, which meant schools and teachers lacked clarity on what they should teach and by when - something she is glad is being addressed.

“It’s not been clear who has been lobbying [the government], but it’s really pleasing that clearly who has got the ear of government is on the right lines,” she adds.

The addition of these specific words was also welcomed by the PSHE Association, with a spokesperson saying that it will have several benefits, including around safeguarding.

“The inclusion of correct terminology for body parts in the guidance reflects best practice when it comes to giving children the knowledge they need to stay safe, including the ability to identify and report signs of abuse, while reducing stigma,” they say.

Avoiding euphemisms

Thomas Micheal, a safeguarding lead, also thinks it is “incredibly important” that children know the correct terms for body parts.

“There is a tendency, maybe it’s a ‘British’ thing, to see the proper names as rude or uncouth - this can lead to children finding disclosure difficult, as they feel like talking about body parts is ‘wrong’,” he says.

“[But] if they are educated in the proper names and that these body parts are private, they are given confidence in their own bodies.”

Margaret Mulholland, SEND and inclusion specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders, agrees. “It avoids euphemistic language, which can lead to confusion and create negative perceptions,” she says.

Indeed, Hoyle warns that there have been safeguarding incidents where warning signs have been missed because of euphemisms being used.

“There’s different safeguarding cases that have been missed over the years, where something was being called a ‘cookie’ or a ‘lollipop’ and things didn’t get picked up because a child taking about someone sucking on a lollipop doesn’t sound like anything,” she says.

“Or a case where a dad ended up facing a criminal investigation because the child said, ‘Daddy hurt my Noo Noo’ - which referred to a toy rabbit that had been put in the washing machine.”

Michael shares this concern about children not learning the correct terms.

“All manner of nicknames can be used for different body parts, but these can be misinterpreted during disclosure and could potentially result in cases being thrown out of court, if it ever got to that point,” he says.

Of course, informal terms for body parts will always be used by some - but Cathie Paine, the CEO of REAch2, the largest primary multi-academy trust, says the updated guidance will allow schools to strike a better balance between “respecting that parents, families and pupils may have their own, informal names” and using correct terminology.

“Use of anatomically accurate and correct language helps to provide clarity for pupils, parents and staff, and gives pupils the correct terminology to describe their own body and bodily processes,” she says.

Proper period education

Paine also welcomes, within the same “Developing Bodies” section of the new guidance, a new addition setting out the requirement to teach pupils about menstruation before they leave primary.

The section reads: “The facts about the menstrual cycle, including physical and emotional changes, whilst the average age of the onset of menstruation is 12, periods can start at 8, so covering this topic before girls’ periods start will help them understand what to expect and avoid distress.”

Paine says this focus, especially on delivering teaching before periods commence, is a positive step forward.

“This reflects the experiences of girls in our primary schools, where there are a small but significant number whose menstrual cycle have started, for which support from both parents and school is vital to ensure they are safe, healthy and comfortable in managing the changes taking place in their body.”

Charli Faux, subject lead for life skills at secondary Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School, also welcomes this, saying that at present it is clear many children arrive with no knowledge of periods or menstruation.

“I teach it in Year 7 and am always alarmed by how many girls seem to be hearing about periods for the first time; how they squirm and gasp when hearing me use the correct anatomical words for body parts, and are fascinated by the pads and tampons we show them,” she says.

She says that if primary schools are empowered to start talking about menstruation before girls experience it, it will be far better for these children.

“We know some girls start their periods at age 9, this is not uncommon, and we also know that some parents do not have these discussions at home,” Faux says.

“It’s imperative, therefore, that we equip children with the facts so that they aren’t confused or frightened when their bodies begin changing, and that they feel confident and empowered and know what to do when their periods arrive.”

Still work to do

So far, so positive with the guidance. However, Hoyle notes that there are still areas that need improving - for example, sections for students with special educational needs and disabilities, and insights on LGBT need more work to support teachers. While the fact that the uterus is not mentioned at all seems an oversight, she adds.

“It’s great they’re clarifying the difference between vulva and vagina - but if you’re going to discuss this then should you also [mention] uterus at primary level, as children do need to know about it in terms of periods?”

Hoyle’s bigger issue, though, is the absence of the word “clitoris”, not least because there is a requirement to teach about female genital mutilation (FGM) at secondary school.

“One of my biggest bugbears is in a lot of schools I work in, they are teaching FGM before they’ve taught what a clitoris is,” she explains.

“But the first time a young person learns what a clitoris is should absolutely not be in the context of violence and serious harm to that part of the body.”

With the Department for Education now planning to update the guidance every six years, instead of every three years, it may be some time before those words appear, which will be a disappointment to some.

However, in the main it seems that the changes to the guidance that give more clarity about how primary teachers should talk to young pupils about their bodies are being welcomed by the sector.

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