The recent publicity given to Home Secretary David Blunkett’s proposal to change the legal status of cannabis from class B to class C has re-focused attention on the need to get drug education right. PSE in Focus reminds us of the vital underlying principles: the need to affirm risk-taking as a normal experience; to include opportunities for developing decision-making skills; to take account of the existing knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of young people; to recognise “peer preference”; and to help young people feel competent, secure and valued.

The 24 exercises and teacher’s notes in Drugs put these sound principles into practice and address in each year at key stages 3 and 4 the topics of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, risks, and decisions.

Sex Education’s similar structure provides exercises coinciding roughly with the pupils’ sexual development. Both books rely on the confidence and skill of the teacher in using methods that replace the more familiar role of instructor-provider with that of facilitator. The importance of this change in emphasis is key to the success of PSHE teaching, and depends on the teacher providing opportunities for pupils to become engaged with the subject matter rather than mere recipients.

The exercises are accompanied by clear and helpful instructions to teachers, but I would have liked to see guidance on generating a classroom climate conducive to frank and open discussion of feelings, anxieties and opinions.

The “true-false” quizzes sprinkled throughout the books would be better replaced by groups of pupils generating their own lists of questions or uncertainties. The danger of these quizzes is that they can reinforce the “false” information. But the thoughtful step-by-step teacher’s notes and clearly stated learning objectives for each lesson help teachers forward in these two sensitive arenas.

Drug Education in PSHE amp; Citizenship and Across the Primary Curriculum is a thorough and well-written collection of ideas and activities. Teachers are provided with a wealth of material, carefully related to the science programmes of study and the PSHE framework. Sections such as “Valuing Themselves”, “Improving Knowledge”, and “Making Decisions” address the gamut of learning between self-esteem and handling real-life situations, as well as readiness to seek help when needed.

Attention is paid to methods and to clear aims and outcomes as well as to progressive content. Children are gently led from their own starting points towards greater understanding of drugs, their uses and their risks, but Barbara Wyville understands the need to place drug education within a wider context so that it encompasses other areas of learning and avoids placing undue emphasis on drugs themselves.

Adrian King

Adrian King is an independent health education consultant