To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the availability of (a) human expertise and (b) modern IT techniques and equipment for the effective imparting of health education to schools; what plans he has to increase availability; and if he will make a statement. [115470]
Education about health is included in the curriculum through the framework of Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE). Headteachers and governors make decisions about the programmes and resources to use to deliver PSHE including the best use of modern ICT systems. There are a range of health professionals, school nurses for example, who support teachers.To improve expertise we are rolling out a professional development programme which recognises effective teaching of PSHE. Over 700 teachers will participate in the programme this year. A similar programme for school nurses is being piloted. We have also established a PSHE website for teachers which provides information about a wide range of resources, many of them IT based. Websites such as Wiredforhealth provide health information for teaching across all four key stages.