How we can help you with the new the RSHE curriculum 2025 for primary schools
In July 2025, the Department for Education released new statutory guidance for schools on the RSHE curriculum. The changes have been generally welcomed, including new topics such as bereavement, fire and water safety and more detailed online awareness objectives.
We want to help support schools manage and implement these changes, so that they can get the most from the curriculum.
Supporting you to implement the changes in your school
We worked our socks off during the summer holidays to ensure our story-led PSHE resources are aligned with the new requirements from September 2025 (a year ahead of the DfE’s recommendation). To do this our first job was an analysis of the key elements of the RSHE national curriculum and their impact on our primary programme.
It was such a useful process that we would like to share our spreadsheet with you! We think that schools will find this a similarly interesting way of seeing the implications of the changes on their own curriculums.
The spreadsheet contains a list of all the primary objectives, split in to the different themed areas. Each objective has then been colour-coded so that you can see, at a glance, which objectives are new or have changed the most! Space has then been provided for you to make a plan of how you will implement the new content in your school.
Don’t forget to download a copy to your computer so you can make changes, and not just use the online version.
How to use the spreadsheet
A step by step guide to tracking the new RSHE curriculum changes in your school:
1. Make a cup of tea and grab a biscuit.
2. Read tab one – this will tell you how the spreadsheet has been colour coded. Each objective has been set as ‘No change’, ‘Minor Changes’ or ‘Major Changes’. This means you can prioritise the areas that need your attention the most.
3. Open tab two and have any existing school curriculum documentation to hand. Member schools can rest easy here, all our TSP documentation has already been updated for you.
4. Take each objective line by line. Think carefully about where the content is currently covered in your school. If it isn’t currently covered or for ‘Minor Changes’ think about places where it could slot in easily.
5. For objectives that are ‘Major Changes’ to the old guidance, you may need to think about how the curriculum in your school needs to be re-organized to ensure coverage, breadth and depth.
6. Follow up questions have been provided to help guide your thinking. Feel free to edit and add to these to suit your needs.
7. If you’re stuck and would like help from an organisation of expert teachers with a passion for PSHE and books, get in touch with us!
An important note
We have labelled each objective according to our interpretation of the changes, years of experience as teachers, and knowledge of the curriculum. However, teachers and leaders should use their own professional judgement alongside our wording to ensure their school is compliant with the new curriculum.
Books to support the new RSHE changes
Need some easy ways to get new content into your curriculum? Check out these fantastic children’s stories that cover many of the new themes in diverse and empathetic ways.
Frequently Asked Questions
My school already subscribes to The Story Project, do I need to do anything?
Our curriculum documentation has already been updated to ensure it complies with the new guidance. You do not need to do anything, accept ensure you have download our most recent versions of the resources – so you know the content is aligned. However it is a useful process to look at the spreadsheet above, especially if you cover some elements of PSHE in other ways outside of TSP.
When does my school have to implement the new RSE guidance?
Schools have until September 2026 to implement the new RSE curriculum. Many schools may wish to start sooner than this, to take advantage of the new additions and ensure they are embedded in the curriculum ready for 2026-27.
What does RSHE mean?
RSHE stands for Relationships, Sex and Health Education. Some people refer to it simply as RSE, which only includes Relationships and Sex Education. Occasionally, you may hear people use the term PSHE (Personal, Social, Emotional, Health Education) which is a branch of the RSHE curriculum.
Why is it important to teach the RSHE curriculum?
PSHE/RSHE is a very important part of school life, one which has the power to impact the development of children’s personal and academic achievements. Well taught RSHE/PSHE lessons have strong links with children’s success in other areas, with studies showing a link between pupil health and wellbeing education with stronger attainment levels (Public Health England, 2014). It also helps to prepare children for life during and after school; teaching them the skills them need to over come barriers and look after themselves.
You can read more about this topic in our blog post Why PSHE is so important in schools today
When did the RSHE curriculum become statutory?
The topic became statutory in September 2020. The new changes, as detailed in the DfE July 2025 guidance, will become statutory in September 2026.
How can The Story Project help with RSHE/PSHE in my school?
An excellent question! The Story Project uses the magic of stories and an evidence-based curriculum to teach all the statutory elements of the primary RSHE guidance. Book-led and created by teachers, our programmes support children to learn about topics in a safe and inclusive way. You can find out more here.
