It is now over 20 years since the first major texts on teaching controversial issues were published in the UK (for example, Carrington and Troyna, 1988; Stradling et al., 1984; Wellington, 1986), and over ten years since the Crick Report (QCA, 1998) set out the case for citizenship education. In addition, 2009 marked a significant anniversary of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights - civil, cultural, economic, political and social (UN, 1989).  From 2011 Personal, Social and Heath Education (PSHE) will become a compulsory part of the school curriculum in England.  Thus, this is a timely point at which to review student teachers’ views on issues-based education.

Teachers in all settings face many issues with their learners, some of which prove controversial. Almost any issue can become controversial or contentious when people hold different beliefs, views or values. Some issues are controversial because of their subject matter, for example whether experimentation should take place on human embryos. Others present challenge because of their inclusion in a school setting, for example whether sex education is appropriate in a primary school classroom. In each instance there will be differing and sometimes contradictory views arising from the issue or its presentation. The Crick Report (QCA, 1998) suggests that children need to address controversial issues in order for them to develop the skills necessary to deal with them knowledgeably, sensibly, tolerantly and morally. It is thus essential that providers of Initial Teacher Education prepare student teachers to deal with issues that may prove difficult, complex or controversial.  This paper shares the findings of a study of the views of student teachers in their final year of training, and explores the priority areas identified.

The paper sets out the agenda for addressing students’ major concerns, namely racism, sex and relationship issues and spirituality, to explore issues and implications and to identify key needs. This topic is important as it highlights major concerns of student teachers as they prepare to enter the profession. Not only does it suggest students’ areas of concern, it also underlines their personal priorities for issues-based education. It presents data that will challenge the focus and content of training programmes and provides challenges when considering how student teachers are prepared to address both formal and hidden curricula.  It provides the opportunity to evaluate the application of aspects of the UNCRC across diverse settings.

The theoretical framework of this paper considers the significant place of education in the socialisation and enculturation of children (Leistyna, 1999).  This requires that student teachers develop critical pedagogies as a means of promoting equity, pupil voice and democratic structures in schools (Lather, 1998; McLaren, 1998).  Key to this is Cole’s (2008) concept of ‘isms’ and phobias and the need to prepare student teachers to address them (e.g. sexism, racism, disablism, Islamophobia and homophobia) and to evaluate both formal and hidden curricula.  Such issues apply to every school setting.

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