Since Britain has been a Christian society for hundreds of years, the religion has become a natural part of many British people’s lives. Despite of the fact that they do not practice any religion, many people see themselves as Christian and claim to belong to this religion. The fact that many other religions have entered the country also has opened windows for many none-believers to find a religion that suits them better.
According to statistics, the number of three and four year old children going to school increased from 21 per cent in 1970 to 64 per cent in 2008 (Office of national statistics). This was due to an increase in the provision of places as well as a fall in the population of that age group during that year.
The increase of studying children is pointing at an increase in parents’ interest in having educated children and in starting the learning process early. Studies have shown that a low education often will lead to a low income and an early start in education may increase the will to continuing educating later in life (National centre for children in poverty).
There can both be advantages and disadvantages in starting education in an early age. Children in the UK are forced by law to start school at the latest when they turn five years old, compared to countries in Scandinavia where the children starts school at first when they turn six or seven. Due to a study in the UK it can be stressful to a child to begin school too early. Others might think that an early and slow start is a good way to accustom the child to the future studies.
The numbers of teenage pregnancy have risen in the last years. This means young girls between 15 and 17 years old (Guardian). The British government is working frequently on improving sexual education at school but more numbers still seem to be added. Hilary Pannack, of the sex education charity Straight Talking says that the teenage pregnancy means generations of child poverty (BBC news) since children of teenage parents’ often tend to be teenage parents themselves.
Comparing these three trends, a connection can be found in the fact that people don’t seem to have the same religious views as in earlier years. Missing the kind of sexual education that is included in a religious education and the responsibility that is being taught, teenagers are in need of a more thorough sexual education at school that addresses the possible consequences. Teenage parents are at home raising the child and do not have time to get a higher education. If the aforementioned study is right, the teenagers´ children will not get a higher education either and a vicious cycle has begun.
References
McDowall, David. An Illustrated History of Britain (China: Longman, 2006)
BBC news Accessed on 25 April 2010.
Guardian.com.uk Accessed on 25 April 2010.
National Centre for children in poverty Accessed on 25 April 2010.
Office for national statistics Accessed on 25 April 2010.
Religion in the United Kingdom - Diversity, Trends and Decline
Accessed on 25 April 2010.