Curriculum should change to include more life-skill lessons

New research has found that British parents would like to see subjects such as religious studies, physical education and geography replaced to make way for more life-skill lessons.

According to the survey, carried out by My Voucher Codes, parents would rather their children were learning how to deal with their finances, how to lead a healthy lifestyle and how to manage their mental health; all subjects they feel are life skills their children will go on to use.

A total of 2,414 British parents, all of whom stated that they had at least one child in secondary school, were asked what subjects they felt their children were learning that they wouldn’t go on to need and could be replaced by other subjects. The top subjects parents felt could be replaced were found to be religious studies (31 per cent), physical education (30 per cent) and geography (28 per cent), closely followed by science (25 per cent) and history (23 per cent).

Amongst subjects that parents felt their child would most benefit were classes focusing on finance (72 per cent), healthy lifestyle (55 per cent), mental health (51 per cent) and DIY (46 per cent). A further 11 per cent felt that students should get interview training.

Discussing at what stage such subjects should be introduced to the curriculum, 42 per cent felt they should be introduced from as early as Year 7, whilst a further 34 per cent felt they should be introduced from Year 10 onwards, for the upcoming GCSEs.

Anders Nilsson, spokesperson at My Voucher Codes, said: “Whilst the curriculum provides a wide variety of subjects for students to learn and grow from, our research has found that some parents feel it needs to be updated with topics more relevant to current society and workplaces. Personal finance and healthy living came top of the parental wish-list perhaps reflecting the current climate of financial uncertainty and rising living costs, as well as the shift in trends towards healthier, active lifestyles and fitness challenges.”