The government are considering leaving school at 18.

Some pupils would be better off leaving school at 14.

I feel the whole education system needs reviewing.

First, I would like to suggest that primary schools take children up to the age of 12 years old. This would be beneficial to the education system, as often children at the age of 11 are not mature enough to go to senior school. This would give a better chance to help those with learning difficulties and the basics of education. There are a high majority going to senior schools still finding it difficult to write or spell. This would enable the primary schools to target these problems so helping these children’s future, plus this would allow more space at the next level of education for life skills and trades.

At secondary level from 12-16, we should discover what the pupil is best at, and give them more time on that subject. There could be an option of leaving school at 15 if there is a job to go to. Some are more of a nuisance at school. For those who are better out of school with no job to go to should have to go to a new council/state run voluntary scheme with the choice of apprenticeships. More flexible school times need to be introduced. Mornings should be for written work with afternoons for practical education and sports events. This could mean some teachers working for the morning session, having time to prepare for the next day or mark work in the afternoon, or maybe helping with afternoon activities, abandon homework for teachers and pupils.

Every secondary school now in operation should have education for post 16. one learns more in smaller groups. More sports, team events for after school should be encouraged, organisational skills needed but more practical skills should be taught, pluming, electrician, carpentry etc.

In order to help those people who are unable to cope with education or find themselves being expelled from school, I would like to suggest, instead of closing the Ford prison and the redundant airfield site near Arundel for housing, we could use this site to accommodate all the young people who have been excluded from school, or are unable to cope with school, and the Ford site could be used for a place of correction. If a young person was good at, say, art, music or woodwork for example, they could use their time to gain interesting skills in their chosen field. This would take them away from the local area, this site could take children from a large area to include Sussex, Kent, Surry and Hampshire. Other parts of the country could have similar sites.

Are students being told about the effects of cannabis, cocaine, heroin etc? We are going to have a large number of people draining the NHS with schizophrenia and mental illness, plus effects on families and community life. These issues must be addressed before they start.

Sex Education

With the possibility of girls as young as 13 having injections for contraception and to stop the spread of diseases, they should be educated to understand the dangers of early relationships.          

Young people should be shown the germs and diseases one can catch by changing partners. If one could see the germs in ones mouth, one would be put off even kissing someone let alone sexual relations.

It has been said parents are the best people to give sex education to their children, some say it should be teachers. On both accounts, in most cases there is a problem when you know the young adult, with some kind of embarrassment.

The subject should be taught by trained people going round the senior schools, putting across the knowledge that is needed. We have moved too far by giving information that leads to getting away with sleeping around.

Do young men know what young ladies feel and need and vice versa.

Show the health problems, diseases etc. what happens with broken homes, mental illnesses because of broken relationships.

Teenagers should be encouraged to have lots of friends from both sexes, not early relationships. 

A good number of teenagers are leaving school without knowledge of responsibilities, or keeping account of their finances. There is too much reliance on benefits. Do they know how to cope with children when they are barely out of being children themselves?