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2w ago

England Publishes Statutory RSHE Guidance to Tackle Misogyny and Digital Harms

It responds to DfE data showing epidemic-scale misogyny among pupils and sets a September 2026 compliance deadline.

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BRISTOL, UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 24: A primary school pupil at the Bridge Learning Campus completes her school work in a classroom at the school on February 24, 2010 in Bristol, England. The 40million GBP campus in Hartcliffe, Bristol, was constructed as part of the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme and opened in January 2009. It now offers over 800 pupils a life long provision of learning from nursery, reception and primary to secondary and post-16 education. As the UK gears up for one of the most hotly contested general elections in recent history it is expected that that the economy, immigration, the NHS and education are likely to form the basis of many of the debates. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Overview

  • Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson published the statutory RSHE guidance this week, calling for implementation from September 2025, full compliance by September 2026, and citing DfE data showing over half of pupils aged 11–19 witnessed misogynistic remarks.
  • The guidance removes the Conservative-era ban on teaching sex education to under-nines and replaces it with stage-appropriate lessons that do not mandate specific age limits.
  • Schools must now teach pupils about incel culture, AI and deepfake harms, and the links between pornography and misogyny to counter toxic online influences.
  • Health education is broadened to cover reproductive and fertility issues, women’s health conditions, spiking, methanol poisoning, and age-appropriate suicide prevention in collaboration with mental health professionals.
  • All RSHE curriculum materials must be made available to parents on request, prompting Conservative MPs led by Laura Trott to accuse the government of eroding key child protections.