Ofsted boss warns that regulator is powerless to sanction schools teaching children as young as 12 about 'gender unicorns' and anal sex - after investigation into 'age-inappropriate' sex-ed classes

  • Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman warned the regulator was 'powerless'
  • Comes after investigation revealed schools teaching 'age-inappropriate' sex ed 

The UK's school watchdog has no power to regulate 'age-inappropriate' sex education like 'gender unicorns' and 'anal sex', the head of Ofsted has warned.

Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman said the regulator is currently powerless to sanction schools teaching inappropriate material to children as young as 12.

Mrs Spielman added that the current Relationships and Sex Education guidance issued by the Government places no limit on what can be taught. 

It comes after a Daily Telegraph investigation found some academies and independent schools were teaching pupils about 'gender unicorns' and asking children as young as 12 how they felt about anal and oral sex. 

Pupils in Years Seven and Eight at schools overseen by The Kemnal Academies Trust have been taught using a diagram of a 'gender unicorn' showing sliding scales of male, female and other identities, alongside spectrums of gender expression and sex assigned at birth.

The UK's school watchdog has no power to regulate 'age-inappropriate' sex education like ' gender unicorns' and 'anal sex', the head of Ofsted has warned

The UK's school watchdog has no power to regulate 'age-inappropriate' sex education like ' gender unicorns' and 'anal sex', the head of Ofsted has warned

Meanwhile, pupils in other schools are taught there are more than 100 genders while children are being taught gender fluidity as fact in other major academy trusts and independent schools.

In some cases, teaching resources include children being asked how they 'feel' about oral and anal sex, and primary school teaching resources on masturbation.

But Mrs Spielman told the Daily Telegraph it was 'clear' some materials were being used in schools that had no basis in any 'reputable, scientific, biological explanation' of human relationships.

She added that Ofsted had 'no reference point' to say a school was overdoing sex education, and it was 'very hard' for the regulator to intervene.

Mrs Spielman claimed she had raised concerns with the Department for Education's guidance which was drawn up in 2019 in consultation with LGBT+ charity Stonewall.

Chief inspector of Ofsted Amanda Spielman (pictured) said the regulator is currently 'powerless' to sanction schools teaching inappropriate material to children as young as 12

Chief inspector of Ofsted Amanda Spielman (pictured) said the regulator is currently 'powerless' to sanction schools teaching inappropriate material to children as young as 12

Nearly 50 Conservative MPs have called on the Prime Minister to 'act with urgency' to 'protect children and childhood across the UK'.

The Prime Minister told the House of Commons on Wednesday that he had asked the Department for Education to 'ensure that schools are not teaching inappropriate or contested content' in sex education.

A Kemnal Academies Trust spokesman told the Daily Telegraph: 'In September 2021, the Department of Education published guidance on Relationships and Sex and Health Education.

'In light of this, TKAT revised its policy. Since this point, there has been no further guidance from the DfE, although we note this is expected this year.

'Once this guidance is published, we will amend our policies accordingly. As an evolving and sensitive subject matter, we will continue to review and refine our guidance to all our schools.'

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