They never taught us THAT in school...

It's official; schools are planning to teach girls how to buy a bra - which, to be honest, sounds a pretty good idea actually. But why stop there? From condoms to politics, here's the top lessons we wish they'd taught us in school...

We always assumed it was down to mums to teach girls how to sort out their bras, but, as it turns out, Derby High School - part of the largest group of Church of England schools in the country - has revealed that they're going to be giving lessons in lingerie from September.

Yup, as of this Autumn, girls as young as 11 will be taught how to ensure a bra correctly fits them, with the aid of a mannequin. And, to keep things educational, topics for discussion will include the anatomy of the breast, the best bra designs for pupils to wear for support and how cup sizes and measurements can vary wildly between brands and lingerie store fitters.


It's come under criticism from a few different media outlets but, to be honest, we think that sounds like an amazing idea. We're fully grown up ladies nowadays (apparently) and even we, when walking into a lingerie shop, feel a little bewildered about how to handle the situation.

So, in celebration of an education in life, we asked the Cosmo girls what they wish they'd been taught in schools. And the answers might just surprise a few of you:

1. A basic understanding of politics

That's right, politics. It's basically history unfolding before your eyes, so why isn't anybody teaching about it in schools?

"Politics. Baffles me why they waste time teaching religion when you're given a vote at 18 and largely, people have no idea what to do with it and just follow their parent's / friend's leads." (Pat McNulty, Digital Editor)

And, as if to prove a point...

"Politics - I don't understand it and think it's SO BORING AND DULL. I always think if I was taught it at school I'd care more about everything going on because I'd be more knowledgable. These days, unless Karren Brady and Richard Branson became PM, I'm probably going to remain practically clueless." (Lucy Partington, Beauty Intern)

2. A how-to guide for buying property

"I'd love to be able to understand property - especially how to get a mortgage. Is that really boring?" (Bridget March, Online Beauty Editor)

Nope, definitely not. The housing market is a mind-bogglingly difficult place to navigate - and working out stamp duties, mortgages, loans and more would give even the brightest mathematician a headache. Maybe schools should ditch the Critical Thinking in favour of thinking critically when it comes to taking the first step on the property ladder, eh?

3. How to put on a condom

The general team consensus was that, despite a few giggling encounters with a condom and a banana in the classroom, most of us still have to do a crash course in trial and error before getting this right. And, as safe sex is SO important, it's probably worth getting all of those fumbles out of the way before doing the deed for real.

4. An idea of what happens at an STD checkup

Most people get a working knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases in sex education classes, but it might also be worth (for older students) giving them a run through of what to expect when they go for their first ever sexual health screening. Why?

"I had no idea what was going to happen to me when I turned up for my appointment at the local STD clinic. Which meant that I put off going for as long as possible - turns out the anxiety was all for nothing, but it would have been nice to know that!"

Sounds a good idea to us! After all, everyone is a little scared of the unknown - might be a good idea to eradicate that before it freaks us out too much...

5. How to change a tyre

"How to change a tyre. I know how to switch on a bunsen burner but I don't know how to change a tyre - that just seems kind of wrong, doesn't it?" (Leanne Bayley, Entertainment Writer & Picture Editor)

It DOES seem kind of wrong - especially since we've never ever needed to whip out a bunsen burner and blue flame anything. They teach Autoshop in America (well, we think we've seen it in Grease, anyway!) so why not here?


6. How to look good on a daily basis

We've all seen how amazing hairdressers can get our hair looking, all with the help of a barrel brush, a hairdryer and some nifty wrist flicks, but have you ever tried to recreate the moves at home? It's almost downright impossible. Throw in the ability to apply a streakfree tan, do your makeup like a pro and walk in high heels on all surfaces and we'd be VERY happy girls!

7. Money management skills

"Money. Like literally money management as championed by Martin's Money Tips. Not economics. Who cares about economics if you can't look after your own budget?" (Pat McNulty, Online Editor)

Well, quite. Working out all of those extra hidden costs - we're thinking council tax, national insurance, your PAYE and (obviously) those student loan repayments - is tough going, especially when you haven't factored them into your monthly budget. Maybe students should do a few weeks on an imaginary paycheck, with responsibilities, and work out how to survive with the help of a professional before trying out their tactics on the real world!

And, on that note...

"How to do your tax return. Because OH MY GOD it is so much more difficult that you'd think!" (Leanne Bayley, Entertainment Writer & Picture Editor)

8. How to deal with sexual harassment

"My friends and I used to get wolf whistled at as we walked to school by men driving to work. We were in our uniforms - pretty sick, huh? But we were always too embarrassed to do anything about it." (Kayleigh Dray, Freelance Features Writer)

Sexual harassment is a pretty big deal - as is the objectification of women - so it makes sense that schools help girls to recognise when they are the victim of sexist behaviour. They could start by checking out the works of the Everyday Sexism Project and get students discussing why sexism is never "just a joke" or "a bit of a laugh". They could touch on the fact that we're growing up in a rape culture - and that something needs to be done about it. And, most importantly, they could talk about how best to confront those who condone sexism, too. Now THAT would definitely be a lesson we could get behind.


9. How to live on your own

Once you move out of the family home, whether it's on your own, with flatmates or a partner, you're pretty much on your own. And, yes, while learning to cook is important, there are plenty of other important little lessons we could do with being taught as well....

"How to get hairs out of a plughole without gagging and how to get out of clothes when you can't reach the zip - any of these would have been great!" (Rosie Mullender, Deputy Features Editor)

"I always thought they should have taught us to change a fuse, I don't remember learning anything useful in physics but that would have been SO practical." (Harriet Stigner, PA to the Editor)

"Anything practical, like poaching an egg or sewing on a button. That would have been handy!" (Penelope Travers, Web Intern)

"How to fix a phone or laptop after you've tried turning it off and on again. I literally have no Plan B when that one fails!" (Kayleigh Dray, Freelance Features Writer)

And so on and so on, until the end of time.

10. And just a few little hints and tips on everyday life...

From curing a hangover to applying streak-free tan, there's plenty of things we'd like to be pros at - but we've never had the opportunity to learn. Think understanding boys, knowing how best to console a friend in need, how to get your contact lenses in (and out!), how to become a social media mogul, what to wear to your first job interview and all those other big burning niggles in the back of your mind, there's a lot more we could have learned in school other than advanced algebra.

What would YOu most like to have learned in school? Let us know below or tweet us over at @CosmopolitanUK now.

Follow Kayleigh Dray on Twitter at @KayDee28

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