A BURNLEY Roman Catholic school is to teach pupils sex education to combat soaring levels of teenage pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases.

St Hilda's RC Girls' High School, Coal Clough Lane, has signed up to Foundations for a Good Life, a published resource that prepares pupils for growing pains.

The course is run by national support charity Marriage Care and covers a series of subjects, including sexual relationships, emotions, anger control and spirituality. The charity says many young people are ill-equipped to sustain long-term relationships - and believes advising children on relationships will halt the rising number of gymslip mums and STDs.

Liz Mascarenhas, director of relationship education, said its research found many teachers were ill-equipped to teach the subject.

She said: "Children need to understand moral decision-making and we believe all sex education should be delivered within the context of the importance of relationships.

"Research shows emotionally literate children and adults are happier, achieve higher academic success and are confident to look after their personal safety with regards to sexually-transmitted disease."

Teachers will teach pupils through the material and have access to relationship education consultants who can arrange workshops for children and training for teachers.

In July, the Evening Telegraph revealed a combination of 'flings' and complacency was responsible for a rise in HIV and Aids in East Lancashire. Last year, the number of people accessing treatment for the disease in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale rose by 50 per cent, from 24 to 36.

Bernadette Bleasdale, headteacher of the all-girl school, said every school must teach these types of subjects.

She added: "We will teach the course as part of personal and social education and it will be on-going throughout the school year.

"We think it is a worthwhile addition to the curriculum."