SIX North-East teachers are among the first in the country to win awards for their tuition of personal, social and health education (PSHE).

Certificates were last night awarded to the ground-breaking half- dozen, recognising, in particular, their teaching of sex and relationships within PSHE.

Anne Gladstone, of Hetton Secondary School at Hetton-le-Hole, Sheena Allison, of Oxclose Community School, Washington, Tracey Forth, of New Penshaw Primary School, Elaine Marsden, of East Herrington Primary School, Chris Norton, of Houghton Kepier School, at Houghton-le-Spring, and Rebecca Simmons, of Diamond Hall Junior School, in Pallion, Sunderland, received their certificates from city education director Barbara Comiskey.

They are the first of a cohort of secondary and primary school teachers from a handful of education authorities across the country to be awarded the accolade.

In the next phase of the scheme, thousands more teachers across the country are expected to sign up to undergo the same PSHE advisory course.

School advisory consultant John Britton described the six certificate winners as "trailblazers in their teaching commitment".