Education system Aus vs UK

Really? As a mum with two kids in primary school (year 3 and year 5) I can't say that they've ever been taught anything of the sort! They go to a state school but are still coming home having received a quality education each day, including reading, writing and mathematics, amongst other things. The only sex education they've had is an opt-in after school session which I had to attend with them. I have of course spoken to them about same sex marriage and gender issues at home, since that stuff is so often on the radio - Australian politicians seem to be obsessed with sex and gender so it is barely out of the news. I'd hate for my kids to be ignorant and uninformed and maybe feel vulnerable about such matters.

That's our experience here too. The opt in out of hours school run session and about half the kids and parents went to that and it was really informative and was age appropriate.

And like you, we talk about same sex marriage and gender issues at home. It's in the news, on TV and radio and stuff. It's an ongoing debate here and as our child is growing up in a world very different to the one we grew up in we feel it's better to just be open about it, discuss it if he has questions. Same as we do about religion and other things.

A mixture of the broad Australian type of primary education and British style concentration on the basics would be good- not rocket science and can't think why they don't do it.