Teachers do not feel confident teaching sex education
Majority of teachers feel under qualified and embarrassed to teach pupils about sex and contraception according to a new survey
Pupils are failing to receive proper sex education in schools because teachers lack confidence in the subject, according to a new research by teaching groups and the condom company Durex.
The response from teachers has led to calls for better training on how to deliver sex ed and how to respond to tricky questions. Four out of five teachers said they currently did not feel adequately trained and confident to broach the sensitive topic with pupils.
Embarrassment on the part of pupils, and teachers’ lack of confidence in their own understanding of sex were put forward as obstacles. The study asked the opinion of 1,400 parents, teachers and school governors.
Over 80% of parents feel it’s important that all children are taught about sex both at school and in the home. But David Butler from the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations (NCPTA) has said that parents need to take some of the pressure off teachers.
More should be done to involve parents in reinforcing sex education messages in the home,” David explained. “To do this effectively, parents need more information about what children are learning and the most appropriate resources to use with their children.”
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It seems sex ed is still an uncomfortable topic for parents and teachers alike. Celeb dad David Beckham recently admitted to leaving the room while mum Victoria explained the birds and the bees to their 11-year-old son, Brooklyn.
“We've had the talk with Brooklyn,” David said in an interview on US radio. “It was more Victoria than me. I had to walk out of the room because Brooklyn was sort of looking at me through the corner of his eye and laughing.”
Have you had “the talk” yet? What were your experiences?
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