Parents and pupils call on schools to provide a 'curriculum for life'
New poll shows 90% of parents agree that all schools should teach Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education.
- For the fourth year running, young people make ‘a curriculum that prepares us for life' a key UK Youth Parliament campaigning priority – with almost one million votes cast
- New report highlights overwhelming evidence and support for statutory PSHE education
- Ministers due to make their landmark decision on the subject’s future by the end of 2015
Ministers have been urged to heed new calls from parents and pupils to make PSHE education statutory as the PSHE Association launched a new report on the case for ‘a curriculum for life’.
Ministers have committed to a decision by the end of 2015 on whether to make PSHE education a statutory part of the curriculum, as recommended by the Education Select Committee earlier this year.
Momentum behind statutory PSHE education has continued to grow and parents and pupils are the latest to show overwhelming support.
According to YouGov polling released today, 90% of parents agree that PSHE education should be taught in all schools. The complexity of issues such as online safety, bullying and mental health means that more parents than ever expect schools to support their children’s development through dedicated PSHE lessons taught by trained teachers.
Young people agree that they need these lessons to negotiate life’s challenges and opportunities. 967,000 young people voted in this year’s UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) campaign to choose its priorities for the year ahead. A ‘curriculum that prepares us for life’ and ‘compulsory mental health education’ were two of the three most popular topics chosen for a November debate in the chamber of the House of Commons, during which the main UKYP campaigning priority for the year will be decided.
This latest support further strengthens the case for statutory PSHE, as outlined in a new report launched by the PSHE Association today. ‘A curriculum for life: the case for statutory PSHE education’ brings together compelling evidence that PSHE – when taught well – helps keep children and young people safe, mentally and physically healthy and prepared for life and work. The report also highlights support for statutory status from expert bodies, pupils, parents, teachers, business leaders and parliamentarians from across the political spectrum.
Joe Hayman, PSHE Association Chief Executive said:
“We should have high expectations of every element of our children’s education, and yet for years we have tolerated standards of provision in PSHE which are simply not good enough. In a 21st Century education system, it is not acceptable to have any part of a school curriculum taught in an amateurish way, yet this has been the case with PSHE for far too long. When taught effectively, PSHE education can meet the calls from pupils and parents for ‘a curriculum for life’, but only statutory status will bring the rigour we need. We’ve reached a tipping point that Ministers can no longer ignore. It is time to listen to parents and pupils and make the subject compulsory”.
