Sex education is changing – and it’s about time. The days of embarrassed biology teachers muttering about sexual intercourse are numbered

A new and more effective sex education programme called A PAUSE (Added Power and Understanding in Sex Education) takes a different approach. Based on extensive research at Exeter University’s Department of Child Health, it doesn’t just focus on the physical aspects of sex, but also addresses the emotional side. So far, around 100 schools have enrolled in this ground-breaking programme.

Social Learning Theory
The A PAUSE programme stems from a psychosocial concept called Social Learning Theory (SLT), which is that we learn behaviour most effectively by copying people we value and respect. Teachers and health professionals deliver the ‘technical’ aspect of the programme, while peers or slightly older teenagers create social norms. This allows the A PAUSE scheme to overcome one of the biggest obstacles to effective sex education – the generation gap.

It can be difficult for adults and young people to appreciate each other’s viewpoint when it comes to the emotional aspects of sex. As one teacher puts it: ‘I don’t think they should be doing it and they don’t think I should be doing it. ’

The idea for peer-led sex education initially came from similar successful programmes in the USA, where escalating teenage pregnancy rates forced sex education experts to change their approach. The ‘just say no’ approach wasn’t working on its own.

A PAUSE takes young people through the biological, emotional and practical aspects of sexual health. Early in secondary school life, teachers and health professionals teach the basic principles of human development, contraception, pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, illustrating issues with ‘real life stories’. Pupils discuss how they would deal with certain situations and decide the best course of action.

Peer-led education
'Peers educators’ (16- to 18-year olds) undergo a 25-hour training programme, which enables them to run four classroom sessions with Year Nine students. The sessions focus on dispelling myths about sex and building self-esteem, and although a teacher or A PAUSE supervisor must be present, the peers lead the discussions without intervention.

Dr John Tripp, a consultant paediatrician who is a member of the team behind the A PAUSE programme, says that teenagers should not be pressurised into having sex. They may find it difficult to say ‘no’ without help. He says: ‘Young people should not feel pressured, and should be prepared to deal with the dangers and manage them safely.’

A typical programme may include exploring the reasons why teenagers start having sex, examining media and peer pressure, performing role play and learning assertiveness techniques.

Peer and student benefits
Antonia Smithies (19), a peer in Exeter schools, says that at first it was quite embarrassing going into a classroom to talk about sex. ‘Your confidence grows with each session. Speaking in front of all sorts of people becomes much easier, too.’

Luke Murray (17) received the A PAUSE lessons when he was a Year Nine student and was so taken with them that he decided to become a peer himself. ‘I really enjoyed the lessons. You could laugh with the peers and they spoke a language that I was familiar with.’

Pupils at 16, who have taken the course, demonstrate more correct knowledge about sexual health issues, are more tolerant of the behaviour of others and are less likely to be sexually active.

Official support
The A PAUSE programme is approved by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). While they have reservations about burdening teachers with more work, they do support the content of the programme. Geoff Brown from the DfES says, ‘Anything that engages young people, raises their awareness, delays their sexual activity, improves their life chances and keeps them in school has got to be a good thing.’

On the downside, the peers can be unreliable, the programme is time consuming for both teachers and peers, and it’s more expensive to run than the traditional approaches. However, savings to the NHS for preventing STIs and unwanted pregnancies might make up for that.

In the words of F. Hudson, author of Sex and Relationships in the Secondary School: ‘It is extremely encouraging that a programme of this calibre is available to an increasing number of school pupils. It is a model of such excellent practice that all schools should be doing something similar, with the will and finances to fund it.’