Statement on the draft statutory guidance on RHSE for schools

Girlguiding's statement on the draft statutory guidance on Relationships, Health and Sex Education for schools

Girlguiding believes that age-appropriate education on relationships, sex and health at school is a vital part of keeping girls and young women safe and helping all young people to lead happy, healthy lives.

Girls and young women are currently facing an unprecedented rise in sexism, misogyny and gender-based violence. We cannot simply pretend these problems do not exist. Girls don’t feel safe at school, in public or online.  We are calling on the new government to listen to young people and prioritise their needs by delivering a high quality, inclusive curriculum. We must find a way forward that guarantees young people a right to age-appropriate information about issues such as healthy relationships and tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

Girlguiding's 2023 Girls' Attitudes Survey found that 52% of girls and young women aged 11-21 don’t think sexist comments are dealt with seriously in schools.  69% of 11–16-year-old girls said boys have made comments about girls and women that they’d describe as ‘toxic’, and more than 2 in 5 girls and young women aged 17-21 (44%) said boys at their school have made comments about girls and women that have made them feel scared for their safety. The number of girls aged 7-10 who have seen rude images that have upset them has risen from 16% in 2016 to 23% in 2023, and the number of girls feeling or experiencing sexual pressures has risen from 16% in 2016 to 33% in 2023.

We need to tackle the issues facing young people, and the best place to start is in the safety of the classroom. We’re asking for new and inclusive Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) resources in schools, to tackle sexism and misogyny and encourage better, healthier relationships. We look forward to working with the government to ensure this happens.