Speak up at the back
Debating skills raise children's confidence and self-esteem, and it pays to start early, says Diane Hofkins
Faith schools free to preach against homosexuality
Sex education to be compulsory in all state schools in from age five, according to government plans
Sex education for five-year-olds to be made compulsory in schools
All secondaries will have to teach teenagers about contraception, but faith schools will be free to preach against sex outside of marriage and condoms
Sow good for you
Louise Tickle on how some students are growing their own fruit and vegetables to reduce bills
Tiddles the cat enjoys better protection from charlatans than you or I
Simon Singh: Only fully trained vets are allowed to use homeopathic remedies to treat pets, but anybody can call themselves a homeopath and start treating people
The art of being ill
Being ill at university is fine so long as it's self-inflicted, writes Harriet Swain
Should our schools teach children to ‘dive within’?
Thanks to the Beatles, Transcendental Meditation was all the rage in the 60s. Now, with the help of Paul and Ringo, a US organisation is encouraging young people to practise the technique. But does it actually offer any benefits, asks Lucy Atkins
Labour plans compulsory community service for youngsters
Gordon Brown says every young person must do 50 hours' voluntary work by the age of 19
Adultish giggling
Rebecca Front: Bring on sex education at primary school, if it leads to parents who can say penis with a straight face
Porn: the new sex education
A Channel 4 programme reveals that teenagers feel pressure and suffer sexual hang-ups due to the pervasive influence of pornography