Sex ed will become part of PE. Picture
Physical, social and emotional changes of puberty will be taught in Years 5 and 6, when children are as young as nine and 10.
But Catholic educators have forced the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority to back down from its plan to explain puberty to children as young as seven, over concerns the kids might "freak out".
ACARA had wanted puberty as a topic to be introduced in Years 3 and 4.
Guidelines for the first national curriculum on health and physical education reveal a shift from a focus on sport and fitness, to the politically correct topics of "gender, sexuality, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and psycho-social environments".
The subjects of "sexual and gender identity" and "managing intimate relationships" will be included in the new curriculum, which will be drawn up in detail during the next 12 months.
Sexuality will be explored in Years 7 and 8 when some students are still only 11 or 12 years old as they "learn to recognise sexual feelings and evaluate behavioural expectations for different social situations".
But ACARA had to delay the puberty sessions after education groups raised concerns.
"Respondents from the Catholic education sectors considered the inclusion of content related to puberty in Years 3 and 4 as inappropriate," ACARA states in a summary of educators' feedback to its earlier draft guidelines.
The final guidelines will be used by education experts to write the detailed curriculum that will be drawn up by a group of education experts during the next 12 months.
Australian Medical Association president Steve Hambleton said it was rare for Australian children to hit puberty before the age of 11 or 12.
"(Teaching it in) Years 3 and 4 does seem to be a bit early," he said yesterday.
"They're still out playing hide and seek."
Dr Hambleton said talking to children about puberty and sex was "best done by family", although it was important children did not hear it in the playground first.
Council of Catholic School Parents executive director Danielle Cronin said classroom lessons on puberty could "really freak kids out".
"It's quite confronting, and it can be distressing enough in Years 5 and 6, so Years 3 and 4 are probably a bit too early, especially if you want to avoid them being freaked out," she said yesterday.
An ACARA spokesman said children in Years 3 and 4 would still be taught about body changes but ACARA had "made a shift in the language as a result of concerns".
"The community will have further opportunities to provide feedback on the Health and Physical Education curriculum as it moves through the development process," the ACARA spokesman said.
He said Catholic schools had not been the only educators to object, but would not give more details.
The final guidelines have removed the reference to puberty but state that Year 3 and 4 students "develop and apply the knowledge, understanding and skills to manage the physical, emotional and social changes they begin to experience during this stage of life."
National Catholic Education Commission chairwoman Therese Temby said Catholic schools would take part in ACARA's drafting of the new curriculum.
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