WHAT pupils should be taught in Personal and Social Education classes is to be investigated by MSPs.

A Holyrood committee is looking at the range of issues covered and what pupils, parents and teachers want to see taught in the classes.

As well as sex education, healthy living and careers advice which are currently taught, a consultation by the committee has thrown up a range of topics that people think should be included in lessons across Scotland.

Issue like mental health and homophobic bullying feature strongly in many of the responses and improved sex education is called for amid concerns about the quality of information children are receiving.

Hundreds of responses were received through social media and e-mail with financial advice and budgeting information also wanted by pupils.

The Education Committee is hearing this week form the Time for Inclusive Education campaign (TIE) this week about the role school can play in improving attitudes to LGBT issues.

James Dornan, committee convenor, said: “Thousands of pupils from across Scotland take part in personal and social education in our schools. But what exactly these classes cover and how they are covered appears to vary from area to area and school to school.

“Our committee wants to find out what PSE should be about and how best it can meet the needs of young people throughout the country.

“We have already had a fantastic response and have heard from young people, parents and teachers about what they want from PSE.

“Our roundtable will help us explore the impact these classes have on pupils and what could need to change.”

Improved mental health education is a priority for academics in Glasgow who responded to the consultation.

Dr Helen Sweeting of Glasgow University’s Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, said stigma has top be tackled.

She said: “PSE sessions should include a strong focus on mental health.

“School-based surveys highlight high rates of teenage psychological distress, related to factors such as worries about schoolwork, families/relationships, and appearance.

“We have found children as young as 10 perceive mental health symptoms as ‘rare’ and ‘weird’, and so delay or avoid disclosing these to peers, teachers and parents because they assume they will be stigmatised.”

There appears to be a wide range in issues taught and pupils’ experience of PSE classes across the country.

Last month, Holyrood’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee convener, Christina McKelvie, expressed her concern about the quality of some PSE lessons.

She said she had heard “horrendous” stories from pupils about how PSE is used, particularly in Catholic schools, and said while some classes are “great” on LGBTI issues others are “disturbing”.