Difficulty and Diversity: the context and practice of sex education

The amount and nature of sex education provided varies from school to schoo l. Teachers regard it as fraught with difficulties. It is a sensitive subje ct, there is no statutory training, no set curriculum or examinations to wo rk towards, and it is one of many areas to be dealt with in an increasingly crowded Personal and Social Education programme by teachers who often also have a guidance role and a subject commitment. Drawing on data from 25 sch ools in Scotland, this paper considers how teachers talk about sex educatio n, and looks at the factors that shape provision, at the school and teacher levels. The broad priorities of the senior management team, and the views and experience of key individuals, shape programme design. Within schools, the values, experiences and characteristics of individual classroom teacher s are important in understanding what sex education is actually delivered, particularly where the Guidance Team lacks cohesion.