A HIGH Court battle over the mandatory introduction of Wales’ new relationships and sex education (RSE) curriculum is under way.

Campaigners against Wales' new RSE curriculum were granted a judicial review into the Welsh Government's rollout of the reforms in May.

The review is being held over Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, with five claimants representing parents and grandparents in Wales against the Welsh Government.

The Public Child Protection Wales group say children as young as three will be taught about “sensitive and arguably inappropriate topics”, including gender ideology, and that parents are being disenfranchised by being denied the right to remove their child from sex education.

However, the Welsh Government said these claims were “incorrect” and that all lessons would be age-appropriate.

Public Child Protection Wales had applied for a temporary ban on the curriculum – which was brought in in September – until after this week’s judicial review, but this was rejected.

Following this decision, a Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “All schools which are rolling out the curriculum from September will teach RSE in a developmentally appropriate way as required by the legislation.

“This means all learners in these schools will receive RSE, which is critical to keeping them safe.

“We remain confident our reforms are proportionate and lawful, and we reiterate that the claims this group makes in its literature have absolutely no basis or evidence whatsoever.”

Ahead of the review on Tuesday, Laura Anne Jones MS, the Welsh Conservative shadow education minister, said: “It is understandable why tensions are so high regarding the delivery of the new RSE code.

“Resources used to deliver its objectives are clearly not age appropriate. The lack of clarity and openness from the Labour Government, has resulted in this court case, and many disgruntled and worried parents and carers the length and breadth of Wales.

“Sex education needed updating in Wales, but the way ‘gender over sex’ is being forced on our children, is not ok. It’s not fact-based learning.

“Creating more awareness, at an age-appropriate time is welcome, but making this Labour Government’s version of RSE mandatory, with no consent from parents is not right.

“Welsh Conservatives believe in parental choice and the right for parents to opt their child out of RSE lessons.”

The Argus has previously broken down what is being taught for each age group in the Curriculum for Wales – Relationships and Sexuality Education Code, with children aged three being taught about acting with kindness, empathy and compassion to others; an awareness of diversity in families and relationships; the use of accurate terminology for body parts; recognising trusted adults who can help them when they feel unhappy or unsafe; and an awareness of how to keep safe online.

You can read the Curriculum for Wales – Relationships and Sexuality Education Code in full on the Welsh Government website.