A University College London study has reignited the debate over how menstruation should be taught in schools, arguing that lessons for both sexes in mixed-class settings could improve understanding and reduce stigma. The Belfast Telegraph-led piece summarised the researchers’ finding that many pupils leave school with only two periods lessons in total—one in primary and one in secondary—and urged a more comprehensive approach as RSHE (relationships, sex and health education) becomes a statutory part of the curriculum. In the researchers’ view, simply ticking the RSHE box does not guarantee meaningful learning on menstrual health. According to Prof Joyce Harper of the UCL Institute for Women’s Health, “Educating pupils about periods may now be compulsory in schools in England and Wales, but we know that for many of them that still only amounts to two lessons in their entire school career.” The call for change has been echoed by The Guardian, which notes that the study’s focus groups stressed the importance of involving boys in the conversation so that peers can better support one another through menstruation, menopause and related issues. The Department for Education has signalled that schools will be equipped with new resources to deliver high-quality lessons, as part of the RSHE reforms coming into force next year.

The idea of mixed-sex periods education has a broader background beyond the study itself. The UCL work highlights that stigma around menstruation remains a barrier to seeking help, with researchers identifying stigma, secrecy and embarrassment as persistent obstacles to open discussion. In their focus groups, the women emphasised the need for frank conversations that bridge biology with wellbeing, including how periods can affect physical health, mental health, academic performance and daily life. The Guardian’s coverage also emphasises the broader policy moment: England and Wales are updating RSHE guidance to ensure that content covers the menstrual cycle in primary and secondary settings, with increasing emphasis on practical skills, respectful dialogue and inclusive approaches. Policy briefs and education-sector reporting suggest schools should plan for both single-sex and mixed settings depending on local needs, while ensuring that boys are not marginalised in these conversations.

Policy momentum around RSHE has accelerated in 2025. The Department for Education’s statutory guidance on RSE and Health Education sets out how schools should deliver these subjects and lays out a long-term plan to implement the refreshed framework by 1 September 2026. The guidance makes clear that the topics span from puberty and menstrual health to broader gynaecological issues and menopause, with a formal emphasis on age-appropriate content and evidence-based material. Alongside the core guidance, the government’s updates in 2024 introduced age limits for RSHE content—sex education should not be taught before Year 5, and resources must be age-appropriate with an empowered parental view on what is used in classrooms. By July 2025, revised guidance was published to widen sequencing, reinforce early coverage in primary education, and enhance parental transparency, including a commitment to make curriculum materials viewable by parents on request. Education leaders have welcomed the direction, while noting the curriculum is already crowded and that added content needs strategic deployment.

In practical terms, the education sector response has been supportive but cautious. NAHT's Sarah Hannafin argued that teaching about periods is a vital element of health education for all pupils, while stressing the value of mixed-sex group work alongside safe, well-structured spaces for sensitive discussions. Pepe Di’Iasio of the Association of School and College Leaders affirmed support for thorough menstruation education that goes beyond biology to address wellbeing more broadly, while also urging careful consideration of how delivery might be strengthened within the RSHE framework. The government’s stance on these questions is reflected in its communications about RSHE resources, professional development, and safeguarding. The RSHE updates have also underscored the importance of inclusive practice and parental engagement, with materials and training support designed to help teachers implement age-appropriate content effectively and openly.

Looking ahead, the new RSHE guidance—published in mid-July 2025 and set to be implemented across schools by September 2026—signals a shift toward more skill-based learning, stronger online-safety components, and a proactive stance against misogyny and related harms. The guidance outlines a greater emphasis on positive role models, consent education, and safeguarding, including specific attention to incel culture and the links between online content and real-world attitudes. Education leaders, parent groups and safeguarding advocates welcome the shift, while some warn that the pace of change will depend on schools’ capacity to train staff and integrate the new material within an already full curriculum. The government has also noted that resources—such as Oak National Academy’s online-safety modules—will aid schools in addressing these themes, and that parental engagement will be a central feature of the rollout.

As the policy framework tightens and schools prepare for the 2026 deadline, the central question remains: how best to translate these rules, guidance and research into classroom practice that genuinely improves understanding, reduces stigma and supports students of all genders through menstruation, menopause and related health issues? The UCL study argues that mixed-sex sessions, inclusive discussion, and more comprehensive coverage could help, while policy-makers emphasise careful sequencing, safeguarding, and meaningful engagement with families. In many schools, the answer will lie in a blended approach—combining structured RSHE curricula with flexible, well-supported classroom practice that respects local circumstances and the needs of all pupils.

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Source: Noah Wire Services