Pupils Want To Learn To Handle Relationships

MORI's latest School Omnibus Survey shows that secondary school pupils think that current sex and health education is good, but want to learn more about handling personal relationships.

The survey found that 61% of pupils agreed that school prepares them fairly well for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life, and a further 25% said school did this very well.

Pupils were asked to chose which issues were well covered and which should be covered in more detail. More thought managing money (48% against 12%), preparation for being a parent (46% against 12%), how to deal with personal relationships (41% against 19%) and politics (28% against 6%) should be covered in more detail than thought it was well covered.

Issues which more pupils thought were well covered than thought should be covered in more detail were health (61% against 33%), drugs (57% against 43%), careers and sex education (51% against 31%) and caring for the environment (38% against 27%).

Dr Nick Tate, Chief Executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, said: "This survey shows a very responsible attitude to adult life and personal relationships among young people. The curriculum proposals launched for consultation by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment today aim to build on the good work schools are already doing and to meet young people's wish for more personal and social education."

The Secretary of State for Education and Employment today launched a consultation on proposals for a revised curriculum framework to he introduced from September 2000. Preparation for adult life through personal, social and health education and citizenship is one of the key issues which is being addressed in the new framework.

Technical details

The survey carried out by MORI was based on 3,529 interviews with pupils aged 11-16 in 142 schools in England and Wales. Questionnaires were completed during a supervised classroom session with a MORI interviewer between 18 January and 12 February 1999.