Co-production of two whole-school sexual health interventions for English secondary schools: positive choices and project respect.

Background: Whole-school interventions represent promising approaches to promoting adolescent sexual health, but they have not been rigorously trialled in the UK and it is unclear if such interventions are feasible for delivery in English secondary schools. The importance of involving intended beneficiaries, implementers and other key stakeholders in the co-production of such complex interventions prior to costly implementation and evaluation studies is widely recognised. However, practical accounts of such processes remain scarce.

The need to improve fertility awareness.

Women and men globally are delaying the birth of their first child. In the UK, the average age of first conception in women is 29 years. Women experience age-related fertility decline so it is important that men and women are well-informed about this, and other aspects of fertility.

Overcoming the ignorance of basic sex education.

Another academic year is underway, and schools in England can again choose whether or not to teach sex and relationships education (SRE). The evidence in favour of making SRE a requirement in all schools is stacked higher than ever. One girl in four starts her period before she has learned about it, and 38% of boys do not learn anything about wet dreams before they experience them ( Sex Education Forum (SEF) 2016a ), which shows that even biological aspects of SRE are falling short.