Seven topics you would like to see added to the national curriculum

The topics form part of a new relationships, sex and health education curriculum by the Department of Education.

It became mandatory last September and is now expected to be rolled out in full as students begin the new school year.

We asked our readers which topics they think should be taught in class. These were some of the most popular suggestions.

British Sign Language

Zoiee Neesam: “I've needed to use sign language more than I have needed French since leaving school.”

Rebecca Lambert: “An option to learn sign language.”

Andrew Talbot: “Sign language is a must for all to be understood and voices to be heard and compassion for all.”

First aid

Kimberley Pallister: “First aid should be a must.”

Anne Clements: “Basic resuscitation – so that people are aware how to help in an emergency.”

Kieran Henderson: “First aid, mental health awareness and learning disability/difficulty awareness.”

Home economics

Karin Barlow: “Cookery, housekeeping and how to manage money.”

Julia Nolan: “Home economics or domestic science, [...] many young people lack the ability to shop and feed themselves nutritious meals on a budget.”

Nicole Rochester: “Think cookery and nutrition, even gardening, and being self sufficient should come first.”

Manners and respect

Marie Denise Ashby: “Self respect and respect for other people and their property.”

Barbara Woodward: “Good behaviour and respect.”

Mary E Holmes: “Good manners, respect, honesty.”

Mental health

Michelles Avon: “Mental health awareness, as I feel it’s not given enough attention.”

Sarah Queenan: “Bullying, mental health and wellbeing.”

Lauren Jane Brown: “Mental health education, suicide prevention, and how to love yourself.”

Money management

Shaun Armbruster: “Should be teaching money management before anything.”

Laura Watson: “Finances, covering things like bills, credit, credit scores, mortgages, rent, council tax, budgeting.”

Carole Wright: “Finance and budgeting. Far too many people struggle with debt or running out of money too quickly.”

Political science

Rebecca Fenwick: “If there’s anything the last decade has shown it’s that people don’t understand how our Government, Parliament and courts function and how that translates to policy, law and the running of the country.”

Brian Parkin: “Citizenship. How our Government and institutions work.”

Michael Nicholson: “How the British political system works.”

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