29. Sex and Relationships

INTRODUCTION

Do schools give you all the information you need about sex and relationships?

Remind students that schools are required to have sex and relationships education as part of the curriculum. What is students’ experience of that so far?

ACTIVITY

Show students the YouTube of Dan le Sac vs Sroobius Pip performing ‘Get Better’: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEitrZU-nCw   and show them the lyrics, available, e.g., at: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/danlesacvsscroobiuspip/getbetter.html  

Ask the students to imagine a line or ‘continuum’ representing different views about sex. At one end of the spectrum are very casual attitudes to sex, e.g., people who think they can engage in sexual intercourse without worrying about the consequences. At the other end of the spectrum are very serious attitudes to sex, e.g., people who say that sex should be restricted to those who are in a committed relationship intended to last a lifetime. Ask students to respond to such questions as:

• Where would you put Scroobius Pip on the continuum of attitudes to sex?
• What do you think Scroobius Pip is concerned about? e.g., What does the song say about (a) media messages about sex and (b) young people?
• What do you think are the best lines in the song? Why?
• Are there any lines that you don’t agree with or don’t like so much? Why?
• What other advice about sex and relationships have you heard that makes sense to you?

ACTIVITY

Show students some statistics about teenage pregnancy: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/conceptionandfertilityrates/articles/teenagepregnanciesperceptionversusreality/2016-03-09 and abortions: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/abortion-statistics-for-england-and-wales-2021/abortion-statistics-england-and-wales-2021

Ask students to talk to each other in twos or threes about what they notice about these statistics and whether they think young people are actually ‘getting better’. After some time exchanging views, get some feedback and encourage an exchange of views and ideas, especially on the idea of ‘getting better’.

In particular bring out some of their thinking on such ideas as:

• What would you advise a friend caught up in a situation of unwanted pregnancy?
• Do you know the law about sexual consent, sexual health services, abortions and so on? [The NHS Choices website contains good information here: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/sexual-health-services/guide-to-sexual-health-services/.] 

CONCLUSION

Replay the Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip song and point out what support there is locally for sex and relationships counselling and advice, e.g., school, NHS, Relate.