02/08/2025
RSHE Reforms Aim to Rebalance Emotional Literacy in Schools
The Department for Education has confirmed changes to the Relationships, S*x and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum, set to begin in September 2026. One major update is a renewed focus on helping children recognise that emotions like low mood, sadness and worry are often part of normal development not always indicators of a diagnosable mental health condition.
This move responds to growing concern that current approaches may be over-medicalising everyday emotional experiences. The revised curriculum aims to equip children with the tools to name, manage and understand emotions more realistically, while also reinforcing emotional resilience.
For schools, families and mentoring organisations, this signals an important shift. It’s a chance to prioritise emotional safety and healthy dialogue helping children feel heard without needing to be “fixed.”
The success of this approach will depend on implementation. Staff and parents will need support and training to navigate conversations about mental health in ways that are honest, balanced and age-appropriate.
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