Poll Results
At what age should sex education be taught first?
During a three month period in 2010 and 2011 visitors to www.rsph.org.uk were asked ‘at what age should sex education be taught first?’ The options were:
7 or under
8 to 10
10 to 12
13 or over
The majority of respondents (38%) thought that sex education should be taught at between 10 and 12 years of age, with 25% responding that it should be between 8 and 10. 7 or under and 13 or over both received 18% of the vote.
Sex education or SRE (Sex and Relationships Education) is currently taught in schools between 7 and 16. Primary schools may have a SRE programme, however they are not required to teach it apart from the elements which are part of the science curriculum. They do need to have a policy outlining their SRE programme or explaining why they do not have one. Sex education only becomes compulsory in secondary school. Parents currently have the right to withdraw their children from SRE, except where the lessons form part of the National Curriculum. Parents of primary school children can currently expect their children to be taught the names and functions of external body parts and be informed about puberty.
While SRE teaches children about sex and safe sex, it also includes topics such as abuse, emotions, values, alcohol, pregnancy and peer pressure. It aims to be age appropriate and does not promote sexual activity or any particular sexual orientation. It is based around three main elements of attitudes and values, personal and social skills, and knowledge and understanding.
However rising rates of teen pregnancy and abortions have led the government to propose sex education starting at 5. 5 year olds will be taught about different kinds of relationships, managing their emotions and about physical changes to their bodies in childhood. This has been met with mixed reviews and judging by our poll, the majority of visitors to our website would not be supportive of this move.
There has recently been outcry over the sex education materials available to schools; books such as ‘How did I begin?’ and ‘Let’s talk about sex’ have been branded as inappropriate and too explicit in a report by the Christian Institute. These thoughts are also being echoed throughout parenting websites, blogs and discussions online.
It is evident there are very differing opinions about what is deemed as an appropriate age to be taught sex education and this has been highlight by our poll.
For further information on sex education in schools, please visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/barefacts/sex_education.shtml or www.dfres.co.uk
