Schools in Wales should do more to teach children about personal relationships.
That’s according to education watchdog Estyn, who have published a new report.
It found schools are not allocating enough time or importance to teaching and support for pupils to develop “safe, respectful personal relationships.”
The report also suggests schools in Wales do not prepare youngsters well enough to live in a diverse society, for example teaching them about forms of violence against women such as female genital mutilation (FGM), and honour-based violence.
Estyn is now recommending all schools follow a good practice guide, that provides advice on how to deliver education that promotes gender equality and challenges violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Schools play a vital role in teaching young people how they can enjoy the best possible health and be free from abuse, victimisation and exploitation.
By ensuring essential messages about healthy relationships are embedded in the curriculum and reinforced regularly, schools will set the groundwork for young people to make and maintain friendships, challenge stereotypes and prejudice, and cope with negative influences.
– Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector, Estyn
We expect young people to receive age-appropriate sex and relationships education and our guidance provides advice about the teaching of all aspects of these issues. Ensuring children and young people are healthy and confident will also be at the heart of our new curriculum. In recognition that there is more to be done, the Education Secretary earlier this year established an expert panel to help inform the development of the future SRE curriculum and support the teaching profession to deliver high quality SRE in schools more effectively. We will be working with the expert panel to respond to the report as part of their overall remit.
– Spokesperson, Welsh Government