It’s been revealed that Londoners are the most sex-positive when it comes to sex ed in school.
Sexual health experts at Talking Kinky analysed the latest YouGov data to reveal 53% of people in the capital think it’s very important to teach sex and relationship lessons in secondary schools – the highest in the country.
Wales came second at 52%, and the Rest of the South third at 51%
The Midlands came next with 45%, the North followed with 43%, and Scotland came last with 42%.
| How important do you think it is to teach sex and relationship education at secondary school | ||||||
| London | Rest of South | Midlands | North | Scotland | Wales | |
| Very important | 53% | 51% | 45% | 43% | 42% | 52% |
| Quite important | 30% | 35% | 37% | 39% | 43% | 32% |
| Not very important | 14% | 9% | 10% | 12% | 10% | 10% |
| Not at all important | 0% | 3% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 3% |
| Don’t know | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% |
The data was looked into further by Talking Kinky and revealed that 59% of 18–24-year-olds believe it’s very important to teach sex ed, followed by 25-49-year-olds with 55%.
The numbers drop as people get older, with 43% of 50-64-year-olds saying it’s very important, and just 33% of 65-plus-year-olds.
| How important do you think it is to teach sex and relationship education at secondary school | ||||
| 18-24 Years Old | 25-49 Years Old | 50-64 Years Old | 65+ Years Old | |
| Very important | 59% | 55% | 43% | 33% |
| Quite important | 23% | 31% | 41% | 46% |
| Not very important | 10% | 8% | 12% | 13% |
| Not at all important | 4% | 2% | 3% | 6% |
| Don’t know | 5% | 3% | 1% | 2% |
Finally, the Talking Kinky experts revealed that 53% of women said it’s very important, compared to just 41% of men.
| How important do you think it is to teach sex and relationship education at secondary school | ||
| Male | Female | |
| Very important | 41% | 53% |
| Quite important | 36% | 36% |
| Not very important | 14% | 7% |
| Not at all important | 5% | 2% |
| Don’t know | 3% | 2% |
Tom and Isabelle, sexual health experts from Talking Kinky, advised parents on effectively approaching conversations about sex education with their children:
Open, honest conversations
Isabelle said: “Current sex education often leaves out crucial elements, like pleasure and emotional connections. It’s like giving teenagers a cookbook with no recipes.
“Parents should fill these gaps by having open, honest conversations about the realities of sex beyond just anatomy and safety.”
Abstinence-only messages aren’t effective
Tom stated: “Abstinence-only messages aren’t effective. Young people will still explore sexuality, but without comprehensive education, they’re less equipped to do so safely and confidently.
“Parents can bridge this gap by providing open, fact-based information.”
Don’t just focus on risk avoidance
Isabelle advised: “Pleasure should absolutely be part of the conversation. Sex education must highlight joy, exploration, and connection, not just risk avoidance.
“When parents talk openly about pleasure, teens are less likely to turn to unreliable sources to answer crucial questions.”