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Written question asked by Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 11 June 2026. It was answered by Georgia Gould (Labour) on Wednesday, 17 June 2026 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Endometriosis: Health Education

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including education on endometriosis within the statutory relationships, sex and health education curriculum in secondary schools; whether her Department has considered incorporating information on endometriosis within teaching on menstrual health, reproductive health and wider public health education; what discussions her Department has had with relevant health bodies and stakeholders on awareness and understanding of endometriosis; and whether she plans to take steps to ensure that pupils are provided with age-appropriate information on the symptoms, impact and prevalence of endometriosis to support earlier recognition, diagnosis and access to treatment.

Answer

Pupils learn the facts about menstrual and reproductive health as part of compulsory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). This includes fertility and the potential impact of lifestyle on fertility for men and women and the menopause. In July 2025, the department updated the RSHE statutory guidance to provide specific examples of period problems, including pre-menstrual syndrome, heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, to ensure pupils understand when to seek help from healthcare professionals. The new curriculum comes into force from September 2026.

The department engaged with Endometriosis UK and the Department of Health and Social Care when developing and updating the guidance.

Schools continue to have the flexibility to decide how they teach RSHE topics, including how to draw on high-quality expertise available to them locally.

The government has commissioned Oak Academy to make lesson materials freely available.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
8374
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Health education Endometriosis
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk