Teenagers want school classes on sex and help protecting themselves from online paedos

THREE quarters of youngsters want to be taught about sex and relationships in class, a poll reveals today.

The Barnardo’s survey also found the majority of 11 to 15-year-olds want lessons on how to protect themselves from online paedophiles and keep themselves safe.

The findings will pile more pressure on Education Secretary Justine Greening who is still deciding whether to make sex education in all schools compulsory.

An overwhelming 94 per cent said they wanted to know the risks of sharing images of themselves with a stranger online, according to the YouGov poll of nearly 1,000 youngsters.

More than a quarter of 11 year olds said they had received no lessons on sex or relationships and didn’t know where to find out about them.

And 17 per cent of 15 year olds said they had been given “bad lessons” on the subject.

But 82 per cent said they would have healthier relationships if they had lessons on understanding the opposite sex.

Commons Women and Equalities Committee chair Maria Miller said the case for compulsory sex and relationship education had “never been stronger".

She said: “These findings underline the importance of ensuring all school children have compulsory lessons on sex and relationships appropriate for their age.

“It’s even more striking that children themselves are calling on the government to make sure they receive high quality SRE lessons so they can help keep themselves safe.”

Barnardo’s boss Javed Khan added: “The overwhelming majority of children who answered our poll believe they would be safer if they had age appropriate sex and relationships lessons in school.

“It’s time to listen to children who are clearly telling us that they need help in understanding the digital dangers and the risks of sharing images of themselves with strangers.

“Compulsory SRE lessons for all children must be introduced as soon as possible- it will help prevent children being groomed and sexually exploited.”

Former Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts, who is an ambassador for Barnardos’s said children must be taught how to protect themselves online.

She said: “Children have told the government they want school lessons on sex and relationships to help keep them safe.

“Now it’s down to the government to stop letting them fend for themselves online and protect children by providing compulsory sex and relationships education.”

A Department for Education spokeswoman said: “Education on sex and relationships is compulsory in all maintained secondary schools, and many academies and free schools teach it as part of the curriculum.
"We are actively considering what further steps we could take to improve the quality and availability of sex and relationships education.”