The hilariously provocative and informative coming-of-age series Sex Education is returning for a fourth season after the third gave us everything we wanted and more, diving deeper into the complicated emotional stories that writer Laurie Nunn created to reflect the real-life intricacies of human relationships.

The show is a bright and laugh-out-loud funny take on the growing pains and challenges we all face but with special consideration to the things people find hard to discuss. Tackling issues from gender dysphoria and drug-addicted parents to ugly ‘O’ faces and culinary dirty talk, the show makes audiences feel a range of emotions and teaches that, above all - communication is sexy. While the show’s primary focus is a raunchy comedy centered around Otis Milburn, the teenage son of sex therapist Jean Milburn, and his attempts to make sex education in his school more positive and wholly informative, the stories of the characters are meaningful, bringing forth real-life fears and anxieties of teens and adults alike, who cannot wait for more from the brilliant series.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on September 12, 2023.

Does Sex Education Season 4 Have a Release Date?

Sex Education Season 4 will release on Netflix on September 21, 2023, which is two years and four days after the release of Season 3.

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Is Sex Education Season 4 the Final Season?

As many have already guessed, Netflix revealed that Season 4 of Sex Education will be the last. A statement was released on the series' official Instagram page.

Even though Sex Education is ending, that doesn't meet the journey is over. The series creator Laurie Nunn addressed the idea of future stories and spin-offs set in Moordale:

“I’m definitely taking a break and thinking about other things. But Moordale is a really rich world, and writing about teenagers is always a lot of fun. So, I think that there’s always potential for more to be explored in that world.”

Is There a Trailer for Sex Education Season 4?

An official teaser for the fourth and final season of Sex Education was released by Netflix on July 5, 2023. The trailer shows Otis' awkward introduction to his new peers at his new school, while also giving us glimpses of Maeve's new life in America.

The full trailer for Sex Education Season 4 was released on September 12.

What Happened in Sex Education Season 3?

In the last season, Jean gives birth to a daughter, Joy, whose DNA results are still in the air. As she opens the envelope, the shocked look on Jean's face could possibly signal the start of an even more complicated home life for the mixed family who just started to come together after a rocky beginning. One thing is for sure; we need to learn who the birth father is in the next season.

Adam and Eric are in their complicated headspace, and we need to know what will come of their love lives. Eric kissed another man while visiting family in Nigeria, and now the pair have broken up. While Eric was patient with Adam’s coming out, he decided he needed someone proud to be with him after experiencing the queer culture in Nigeria, where people are risking their lives to be who they are. Eric tells Adam that he’s losing who he is after working so hard to be himself, causing Adam to shut down. While Eric was in Nigeria, Adam befriended Eric’s ex-boyfriend Rahim. They eventually bond over their pain and may even be flirting a little. Rahim helps Adam find his voice and speak from his heart, something he states he didn’t know he had until it was broken.

In Season 3, we see Michael Groff struggling in his own right. Adam works through the daunting task of coming out to his mother while struggling with a non-existent relationship with his father, Mr. Groff, the ex-principal who left Adam behind when his wife Maureen asked for a divorce. Without a job or a home, he eventually talks to Jean, who pushes him to find joy again. Michael realizes he wants to win Maureen back, and after some missed signals and heartfelt late-night conversations, he is seen sneaking out of her bed in the final episode. Audiences are curious to know where the couple's relationship will go and how Michael will break his silence to Adam, who we hope to see living fearlessly and proudly as himself.

What is Sex Education Season 4 About?

They are Sex School, and they are proud of it! Unfortunately, the colorful display at Opening Day, where the students banded together to fight for a proper curriculum, pulled the school's funding. The students will need to finish their school year, though where they will complete their high school education remains to be seen.

In Episode 8 of Season 3, alien-obsessed Lily returned to school after being shamed for a steamy short story she had written. Lily’s mother tells Jean that she wishes Lily had someone like her on campus to talk to. Wherever the teens finish their schooling, we hope that Jean or some form of her teachings will be available to the sex-crazed students taught abstinence under the authority of Headmistress Haddon.

Aimée Lou Wood talked about what we can expect in the fourth season, saying:

The characters feel like they’re in very new territory because they literally are. They’re at a new school. A lot of our feeling slightly off-center is actually also just because of what is happening in the story, which is that they are [at] a new school. Aimee particularly - her best friend's in America, she doesn't have a boyfriend for the first time ever, she's at a brand new school where she doesn't have any mates. So there's a lot of newness for all the characters, and I think that that does make the show feel very new.

It seems that Aimee may have a more significant part of the show in Season 4 as her character goes on a journey of self-discovery while she heals from the sexual assault in Season 2. In Season 3, Aimee talks about how she wants to stick up for her beliefs, become stronger, and learn who she is outside of her relationships. Season 4 will likely show us her journey in becoming the strong, outspoken young woman she’s destined to be.

In the final episode of Season 3, we see Jackson tell Cal that he isn’t queer, and Cal responds by telling him that they cannot be in a relationship with him if he sees them as a girl. Who will our Romeo trust with his heart next? Chinenye Ezeudu who plays the book smart and aspirational Viv, states in an interview that Jackson and Viv “would be endgame.”

When asked about the fan-fueled theory that the two belong together, she responded,

“I’m pushing for them to get together. Because they just suit each other! But Viv has a new love interest in her life, and we’ll see where that goes. I think they’re well-suited for the time being. Who knows in other seasons?”

And the part we’re all waiting for - will Otis and Maeve finally end up together? The pair have finally confessed their feelings for each other, but at the last minute, Maeve changes her mind about her trip to the US and leaves for the study abroad program. Will the next season pick up with Maeve studying in the US and dealing with the challenges of being away from home or returning as a changed woman with new experiences and a new perspective? Will Otis remain faithful while she is away? While some hope he doesn’t screw up his only chance with Maeve, many fans of the show are rooting for Ruby and Otis 2.0. The two have also discussed continuing the sex clinic they started in Season 1. After the terrible sex education courses offered in Season 3, we desperately hope to see the clinic reopen before things get out of hand.

The official synopsis for the new season reads:

Following the closure of Moordale Secondary, Otis and Eric now face a new frontier - their first day at Cavendish Sixth Form College. Otis is nervous about setting up his new clinic, whilst Eric is praying they won’t be losers again. But Cavendish is a culture shock for all the Moordale students - they thought they were progressive but this new college is another level. There’s daily yoga in the communal garden, a strong sustainability vibe and a group of kids who are popular for being… kind?! Viv is totally thrown by the college’s student-led, non-competitive approach, while Jackson is still struggling to get over Cal. Aimee tries something new by taking an Art A-Level and Adam grapples with whether mainstream education is for him. Over in the US, Maeve is living her dream at prestigious Wallace University, being taught by cult author Thomas Molloy. Otis is pining after her, whilst adjusting to not being an only child at home, or the only therapist on campus…

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Who Is in the Cast of Sex Education Season 4?

The cast for Sex Education season 4 has gone through several changes since the end of season 3. Simone Ashley (Olivia), Patricia Allison (Ola), Tanya Reynolds (Lily), and Rakhee Thakrar (Emily Sands) will not be returning for the upcoming season.

That said, there will still be many familiar faces and a few new ones in Season 4. Returning cast members are Asa Butterfield as Otis Milburn, Emma Mackey as Maeve Wiley, Gillian Anderson as Jean Milburn, Ncuti Gatwa as Eric Effiong, Connor Swindells as Adam Groff, Alistair Petrie as Michael Groff, Kedar Williams-Stirling as Jackson Marchetti, Aimée Lou Wood as Aimee Gibbs, Mimi Keene as Ruby Matthews, George Robinson as Isaac Goodwin, Chinenye Ezeudu as Vivienne Odusanya, Dua Saleh as Cal Bowman, Samantha Spiro as Maureen Groff, Jim Howick as Colin Hendricks, Rakhee Thakrar as Emily Sands, and Daniel Ings as Dan.

Several new cast members will also be joining Sex Education for its fourth and final season including Emmy Award winner Dan Levy (Schitt's Creek) as Thomas Molly, Maeve's American writing instructor, Lisa McGrillis (Last Night in Soho) as Jean's sister Joanna and Thaddea Graham (Doctor Who) as O, a rival sex therapist. Newcomers Felix Mufti, Anthony Lexa, and Alexandra James will play the popular kids known as the Coven, while Reda Elazouar, Bella Maclean, and Imani Yahshua will also play students. Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim), Eshaan Akbar (Spitting Image), and Marie Reuther (Kamikaze) have also been cast in undisclosed roles.

Who is Making Sex Education Season 4?

Series creator Laurie Nunn returns as the lead writer for the fourth season. Dominic Leclerc (Step Up: High Water), Michelle Savill (Millie Lies Low), and Alyssa McClelland (Second Best) will serve as directors for this season. Playwright Troy Hunter, newcomers Krishna Istha, Annalisa Dinnella, Bella Heesom, Thara Popoola, and Ethan Harvey, and Season 3 Episode 4 scribe Selina Lim will serve as the writers for the season. Nunn will also executive produce the season alongside series vets Jamie Campbell, Ben Taylor, and Clare Couchman.