Sex education: Protesters lose bid to appeal High Court judgment

Campaigners against the Welsh government's sex education curriculum have lost their bid to appeal against a High Court judgment.

Public Child Protection Wales (PCPW) previously lost a case against teaching about relationships in September.

Education minister Jeremy Miles called the result an "important vindication".

PCPW launched a judicial review in November claiming the teachings were inappropriate for primary school children.

It wanted parents to be allowed to excuse their children from classes.

Last week, Lord Justice Males told the Court of Appeal: "The applicants' various challenges to the code and the guidance all proceed on the basis that these documents mandate the teaching and promotion of particular sexual lifestyles in ways which amount to indoctrination.

"As the respondents point out, however, the fundamental difficulty with these challenges is that the code and guidance do no such thing."

He said it was "inconceivable" the curriculum's approach to the LGBTQ+ community and gender identification could be a breach of common law or the Human Rights Act.

Mr Miles told the Senedd the Welsh government's new sex education curriculum was intended "keep children safe and to promote healthy, respectful relationships".

Launched last September, the statutory guidance now guarantees the mandatory teaching of relationships and sexuality education to children from the age of seven.