The Department’s Controversial issues in schools procedures provide direction and guidance on managing controversial issues arising in schools.

All schools in NSW are required to teach courses of study in accordance with the outcomes of syllabuses developed by NSW Education Standards Authority.

Some aspects of PDHPE may be viewed as sensitive or controversial, such as learning about abuse, child protection, drugs, respectful relationships, sexual health, sexuality, and violence.

Principals can use their professional judgement to determine how and when it is appropriate to notify parents or carers about student participation in the delivery of curriculum, school programs and activities, extra-curricular activities and excursions or incursions that address controversial issues.

Source: Controversial issues in schools procedures

Principals should use their professional judgement to determine when it is appropriate to provide the option for parents or carers to withdraw their child from school programs and activities that extend beyond the regular curriculum content, including student-organised activities, extra-curricular activities, excursion and incursions addressing controversial issues, using opt-out or opt-in consent forms.

The NSW Department of Education provides detailed guidance and advice on communicating with parents and carers about controversial issues. ​This includes a series of sample letters and templates which can be accessed and modified by schools and Principals as required. Further, the PDHPE Secondary Curriculum team has prepared a sample PDHPE information letter to communicate with your school community about your teaching and learning programs.

Evaluation of school programs indicates that, where parents and carers have an understanding of the program, students’ learning is improved.

Schools should implement a consultative process to ensure parents and carers have the opportunity to participate in discussions on both curriculum content and teaching and learning materials where appropriate.

If a parent or carer has concerns about what their child is learning in class, they should first:

• speak with their child’s teacher, who can provide them with further information about the curriculum
• speak with the school principal if they continue to have concerns.

Communication with parents and carers assists the community to better understand the content and aims of the programs.

Establishing how parents will be informed about programs and involved in consultation is a school-based decision.