Education secretary Michael Gove has claimed that if children have a proper grounding in traditional subjects, they are less likely to have sex before they are emotionally ready.

In fact, he argued that by raising overall standards across the curriculum, schools may be able to abolish sex education classes altogether.

There is a direct correlation between good academic performance and children engaging in "risky behaviour", Mr Gove said.

"I am all in favour of good sex and relationships education and our investigation into PSHE is an attempt to find which schools do it best because we want to learn from them," he told people in education jobs and other professionals.

"However, if you look at the way in which we can encourage students not to indulge in risky behaviour, one of the best ways we can do that is by educating them so well in a particular range of subjects that they have hope in the future."

As well as sex education, PSHE lessons also address issues like drugs, alcohol and child safety.

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