But, whatever you do, don’t ask Middlesbrough’s education committee, which is possessed of a touching innocence. The following is an excerpt from its guidelines on sex education, helpfully provided for school governors:
“Paragraph 35 of circular 594 indicates that governing bodies are required to make an up-to-date statement of their policy on sex education, which must be made freely available to parents. Schools should also ensure that parents understand the right to withdrawal and how to exercise it.”