Commenting on media leaks ahead of new guidance for schools on Relationships, Sex and Health Education, Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:
"We will look carefully at the details of the proposals. If reports in the press are correct there are many areas of concern.
"Education about sex and about positive relationships is important, and it is vital for it to be delivered in an age-appropriate and phase-appropriate way. The Government appears to be seeding doubts that this is not already being done and thought about carefully by school leaders and teachers up and down the land. This is yet more culture war noise from an ill-informed and out of touch Government.
"Schools need clear and constructive support about how to respond to the issues children and young people face, read about online and chat about in the playground. Primary-aged children pick up information online and need the opportunity to discuss puberty and relationships and their bodies with trusted adults.
"Issues such as domestic violence can affect children from a young age and it is irresponsible to shut this conversation out until teenage years. We must also challenge widespread patterns like sexual bullying and homophobic bullying which start in primary, and all children must have the language to help them make disclosures where needed."