Children of all ages across England will learn how to take care of their mental wellbeing as part of major changes to the school curriculum. 

The Government is introducing new health education, relationships education, and relationships and sex education lessons to ensure that school 'prepares pupils for the modern world'. 

In addition to mental health, students will also learn about physical wellbeing as part of the compulsory health education classes being introduced in September 2020.

Children will learn simple self-care methods such as getting enough sleep, staying safe online, and the benefits of breaking off from the internet in order to spend time outdoors and with friends.

The changes were announced on Monday by education secretary Damian Hinds after a three-month consultation showed strong support for the new lessons, which will have a particular focus on promoting the positive link between physical and mental health.

The curriculum is being overhauled to better reflect the changed environment in which children are growing up, with the internet and social media presenting new challenges for young people.

'Growing up and adolescence are hard enough, but the internet and social media add new pressures that just weren't there even one generation ago,' said Mr Hinds.

'So many things about the way people interact have changed, and this new world, seamless between online and offline, can be difficult to navigate.

'Almost twenty years on from the last time guidance on sex education was updated, there is a lot to catch up on.' 

He continued: 'I'm very grateful to the many people who have fed into developing these new programmes, to equip youngsters better to deal with the world of today. It starts as it always did with the importance of friendship, kindness, taking turns; as well as learning about the pitfalls and dangers, including on the internet.

'It will help children learn how to look after themselves, physically and mentally, and the importance of getting away from the screen and the headphones. And it can help young people be resilient as they chart a course through an ever more complex world.'

The classes are designed to complement the relationships and sex education lessons, which have proved more controversial. 

The Coalition for Marriage (C4M) has said that the new RSE lessons threaten to undermine the teaching of marriage, as well as the rights of parents by restricting the circumstances in which students can be withdrawn from the classes. 

'Marriage is rarely mentioned in the guidance, despite being the "gold standard" for committed relationships,' it said.

'When it is mentioned, marriage is redefined to include same-sex marriage, and it is usually placed alongside civil partnership as if the two are equivalent. Marriage is just given as one of a number of relationship options.'

The new lessons are part of a radical shake-up to young people's education, with Mr Hinds announcing earlier this month that schools are to focus on character-building in addition to teaching academic subjects.

Addressing the Church of England's National Education Conference, he said it was just as important for children's growth and development that they take part in non-academic activities such as sports, volunteering or learning to play a musical instrument.