Executive Summary
Overall findings
In Terms 2 and 3, 2006, the Education Review Office (ERO) conducted an evaluation of the quality of sexuality education programmes in Years 7 to 13 in 100 primary (full primary and intermediate) and secondary schools. Sexuality education is one of seven key areas of learning in Health and Physical Education in the New Zealand Curriculum. The curriculum is compulsory up to and including Year 10.
This evaluation has found that the majority of sexuality education programmes were not meeting students’ learning needs effectively. The findings identify two areas of particular weakness across schools. These are assessing learning in sexuality education and meeting the needs of diverse groups of students. Around two thirds of schools in this evaluation needed to improve their performance significantly in these areas.
ERO found good examples of how schools, parents, students and community agencies have worked together to identify and respond to student needs in sexuality education. In these schools governance and management supported community consultation and development of sexuality education programmes; resources, planning and content were relevant; teachers and students had a strong rapport and support networks were actively promoted; the schools were respectful to all students; and, the schools were safe for all students.
Recommendations for schools
ERO recommends that schools:
- develop and implement school-wide guidelines for the planning, development and delivery of sexuality education;
- collect, analyse and use assessment information to track students’ progress and achievement in sexuality education, and adapt programmes to meet students’ needs;
- consult with the community every two years on how the school intends to implement the health curriculum, of which sexuality education is a part;
- provide students with a safe and inclusive learning environment that supports the effective delivery of sexuality education;
- ensure that their students have information about support services;
- develop their capability to deliver sexuality education programmes;
- when using outside providers to deliver aspects of sexuality education ensure that:
- - the outside provider delivers an identified part of the planned programme;
- - the outside provider’s contribution is integrated into the overall approach; and
- - they review and monitor the quality and effectiveness of the programme delivered by the outside providers; and
- regularly review the appropriateness of their sexuality education resources, to ensure that they met the current learning needs of all their students.
Recommendations for government agencies
ERO recommends that the Ministries of Education and Health:
- carry out further investigation into which resources are useful and well used, and for which groups of students, and identify any gaps in resource provision; and
- provide schools with further evidence‑based best practice information on effective sexuality education, to inform the development and delivery of sexuality programmes.
ERO recommends that the Ministry of Education investigate the adequacy and effectiveness of current provision of professional development for teachers of sexuality education.