Teachers ask for more training to deliver sex education

Sex and relationships education (SRE) in schools is a much debated issue with the discussions most commonly revolving around the age it should start and the topics it should cover.

Much less is discussed about the level of training and support that those who are relied on to teach the pupils may require.

So it was interesting to see reports of a study carried out in Australia that highlighted the concerns expressed by the teachers themselves.

Researchers from La Trobe University surveyed nearly 300 secondary school teachers from every jurisdiction including government, Catholic and independent schools.

They found that three-quarters of the teachers who deliver sex education do so without any support during the lessons from external organisations. Sixteen per cent of the teachers had received no training in sex education at all and even among those who had, the majority relied on in-service training, often a short, one-off session.

Although the study showed that the teachers are fully committed to delivering SRE in their schools, they report they feel challenged by the constraints they face.

Such results reflect the findings of a survey carried out in England last year by the Association for all School Leaders, the National Confederation for Parent Teacher Associations and the National Governors Association, in partnership with Durex.

This survey was the first in the UK to canvas the joint opinions of parents, teachers and governors and found a high level of agreement between them on the importance of SRE for young people.

However, as with the Australian study, a key issue for teachers in England was the training they received – or the lack of it. Some 80 per cent didn’t feel trained or confident to talk about the subject to their pupils and fewer than 10 per cent believed that the standard of SRE in their schools was preparing children “very well” for the future.

This research concluded that despite the importance they all placed on SRE there are failings in the delivery of lessons and in the materials used to support them.

With a consensus on both sides of the world that SRE in schools is beneficial to the development of young people, there seems little doubt that teachers need to feel better equipped for the role they’re being asked to play.