Government prepares response to landmark PSHE report as young people call for ‘life lessons’ in schools
Ministers have announced that they will respond to the Commons Education Committees recommendations that PSHE education should be made a statutory subject by the end of next week, as a new survey of young people aged 12 to 15 shows that over 9 in 10 pupils who are taught PSHE education believe that all pupils should receive these lessons.
The subject covers topics like mental health, employability skills and healthy relationships but is currently non-statutory, meaning provision is sub-standard in 40% of schools according to Ofsted.
89% of young people surveyed also stated that teachers should be trained to ensure that PSHE is relevant and useful. Yet the recent Commons Education Committee inquiry into the subject, which took evidence from young people and youth organisations, concluded that standards were unacceptably low. The Committee’s landmark ‘Life Lessons’ report recommended the subject be made statutory to ensure high-quality lessons for every pupil.
Responding to a Parliamentary question yesterday, Nicky Morgan announced that Ministers will respond to this recommendation by 26 June. Ahead of this decision, a coalition of over 100 leading organisations, including Girlguiding, the British Youth Council and the National Union of Students have urged the Government to make the subject statutory, building on the UK Youth Parliament’s ‘curriculum for life’ campaign supported by hundreds of thousands of young people nationally.
For media enquiries and further details, including quotes from the National Union of Students, the British Youth Council and Girlguiding, visit the PSHE Association website.
