New for 2025-2026 GHLL are holding PSHE Network Meetings for both Primary and Secondary (Special and APS may choose to attend either, or both sessions, as appropriate).
The next PSHE network Meeting is taking place on Thursday 11th of June . The meeting for Secondaries/Colleges/FE will be at 15:30-17:00 Online via TEAMS. Please click poster below for more details ⬇️
To reserve your place click the links below (special and alternative provision welcome to attend either, or both meetings, as suits).
Secondary/College/FE Meeting : 15:30-17:00 ONLINE
See this handy "In a nutshell" summary of the changes to the Statutory RSHE Curriculum Guidance for School 2025 written by our very own GHLL Lead Teacher, Nicky Witcomb.
Creating a safe space for RSE lessons Ensuring your Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) lessons are inclusive and safe is often easier said than done. The primary goal of creating a safe space for RSE lessons is to create an environment where young people feel safe to share and are respectful of one another’s feeling.
An important element in creating a safe learning environment is setting a group agreement for the lesson. This is like a set of ground rules which helps to set clear boundaries so that everyone feels able to safely:
• Share feelings
• Express views
• Explore values
Managing Questions
At both primary and secondary level, young people have a right to ask questions. However, this doesn’t mean they always need to be answered (or answered immediately). Teachers need to feel prepared to hold boundaries and empowered to shut down inappropriate questioning or comments.
Maintaing Distance
Distancing techniques should be employed throughout RSE lessons. This means not making young people share their personal experiences with others, which may potentially be traumatic or challenging. Instead, you can use characters, case studies, fictional scenarios or videos to explore a topic.
A judgement free environment
If a young person chooses to ask a question during the lesson, remember that this is often a sign that they trust you and your ability to give them an open and honest answer. Try to create a non-judgemental environment, where ideas and contributions are encouraged and are not ridiculed or mocked. If unhealthy ideas are communicated these should be challenged positively where possible and followed up after the lesson. Be aware of the language you use to avoid shame and stigma.
Keeping it relevant
Make lessons relevant to young peoples’ lived experience where possible, especially when considering the online world and how this relates to the topic. This is where continuously seeking feedback will come in useful; it will help you better understand the concerns that young people have or spot trends in the questions they are asking. It’s also worth keeping an eye on things going on in the world that might impact young people. For example, news stories or recent events that you know young people will take an interest in or may affect their lives in some way.
Key Wellbeing, PSHE & Cultural Dates Calendar 2024/25This PDF document from youHQ includes;
DfE guidance on sex and relationship education in schools has been written to take account of the revised National Curriculum, published in September 1999, the need for guidance arising out of the new Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) framework and the Social Exclusion Unit report on teenage pregnancy.Sex and Relationship Education Guidance - Department for Education good practice
Resources from the Family Planning Association are available for download but not for print. Many of them can be purchased from the FPA online shop.
BMJ Open - What do young people think about their school-based sex and relationship education? A qualitative synthesis of young people's views and experiences.
Addressing Pornography through PSHE Education This briefing draws together key research into effective education about pornography within a wider relationships and sex education curriculum. It is intended for PSHE leads and teachers who are beginning to teach about pornography and its potential harms to young people, or who are reviewing
their existing PSHE education curriculum content.
What is the impact of pornography on young people? This briefing summarises some of the key research on the impact of pornography to support teachers and others in delivering this element of the curriculum.
Children's Commissioner - Growing up and pornography
Fertility and Pregnancy Choices - The PSHE Association fertility and pregnancy choices lessons address how fertility changes over a person’s lifetime and the factors that may affect male and female fertility, pelvic health (NEW!) and healthy pregnancy, as well as the different routes someone might take to becoming a parent.
Rise Above - A great site for teens packed with games, advice, stories, and videos to prepare them for real life issues such as relationships, exams, body image and more.
Preventing sexism & sexual harassment - National Education Union have development a toolkit that helps members take the steps needed to prevent sexism and sexual harrassment in schools.
Poster Resources:
Loudmouth - Theatre-in-Education workshop and PSHE/RSE resource provider.
Programme of Study for PSHE Education (Key stages 1–5) - Produced by the PSHE Association.
What is sexual harassment?: Sexual harassment in the workplace films - Suitable for PSHE lessons with 14-16 year olds. The films are a specifically written drama in three parts which tell the story of a professional relationship between a man and woman at work, involving an accusation of sexual harassment and an employment tribunal hearing. Each film is accompanied by a separate discussion piece which is hosted by journalist and presenter Ben Zand. 20 young people examine how they understand the rules of behaviour in the workplace.
Teen Relationships Film: I'm Just Me - “I’m just me... It's like coming up for air."
As Jaz and Charlie make a final attempt to keep their relationship alive, one of them co mes out as non-binary (meaning they don’t identify as male or female), sparking a conversation that will change them both forever.
CoppaFeel! Digital Resources - Lesson plans, videos, and everything in between to get yourself and your pupils clued up on boobs.
"We must listen to science, not stigma"
Around 1 in 3 Brits would be 'uncomfortable' giving First Aid to someone with HIV on effective treatment, according to Terrence Higgins Trust survey, while nearly 40% would be 'uncomfortable' going on a date. Terrence Higgins Trust's Can't Pass it On campaign aims to help end stigma around HIV, and end HIV transmissions altogether.
Find out more about the Can't Pass it On campaign here.
Want to know why young people are sexting? Try asking them
Jeremy Hunt, parents and teachers fail to understand how teenagers use technology to experiment sexually. Proposing a sexting ban is just puritanical.
Relationships and sex education will be required in all schools. September 2020 is proposed as the start date for mandatory provision. Do you know what the new legislation means for your school?
To help school leaders prepare, the poster provides a 10 steps guide to provide high quality RSE as an identifiable part of PSHE education. These steps are based on established good practice and evidence.
Click on the link below to view a full size version of the poster.
View the Roadmap to Statutory RSE here
What happens when sex goes wrong? In this new series of bold animations, Brook looks at real life stories of sexual encounters that didn't go quite as planned. The films use humour to reassure people that sex is rarely 'perfect' and that good sex should be about consent, pleasure and communciation, rather than unrealistic expectations.
GHLL has worked with the Gloucestershire Police Schoolbeat team, producing and assisting in the development of their initial curriculum.
The Schoolbeat team consists of seven police officers who are designated to certain areas across Gloucestershire, covering the majority of both primary and secondary schools.
The main responsibilities of the role are to build trusting relationships with students from Year 6 through to Year 9.
This is completed by:
Delivering bespoke inputs to each educational establishment, based on the RSE curriculum and force operational priorities, to Year 6 through to Year 9 students
Participating in and, where relevant, facilitating restorative interventions involving students from their allocated schools
Facilitating early intervention through timely and effective information sharing between police and schools
Co-ordinating the delivery of educative inputs by local policing teams - PCSOs within local schools
Cascading learning and upskilling local PCSOs in relation to school engagement
Empowering students to make positive decisions, to reduce the risk of them becoming victims or offenders of crime and/or anti-social behaviour
Supporting schools with safeguarding, reducing student exclusions and to provide advice on day to day police related issues
The Schoolbeat team can be contacted via email: Schoolbeat@gloucestershire.pnn.police.uk
If you would like further information, or wish to make a booking please e-mail your local Schoolbeat officer directly:
 |
PC Laura Jones - Gloucester |
 |
PC Candice Palmer - Cheltenham, Gloucester |
 |
PC Leah Davis - Cotswold |
|
PC Dean Saunders - Forest Of Dean
|
|
 |
PC Kim Murphy - Tewkesbury |
|
PC Natasha Smith - Stroud |
In September 2020, it became compulsory for schools to deliver statutory Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education. To support this process GHLL have designed a simplified version of the curriculum requirements (beginning with RSE).
Suggested reading and resources
How to use this document
RAG rate the curriculum content
What are you doing well?
What do you do that could/should be developed further?
Do you require support to enable these developments?
MP Siobhan Baillie has met with pupils from Stroud High School for Girls to discuss a survey they undertook looking at sexism and violence against women and to discuss their experiences of sexual harassment.
Siobhan met with the pupils from years 8 to 11 and was presented with the results of a survey they undertook among 80 Year 9 students.
Brook have a online course to help students identify what consent means and summarise the laws around sexual consent. It will help foster a positive culture of consent on your campus and lead to healthier sexual relationships in your community. 
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
Click here to find out more and access the course
The sex education forum have produced a easy read definition of sexual health. Suitable for Secondary and Further Education including Special.
Click here to access the resource
Published in September 2024 this new research project builds on the findings of Ofsted’s 2021 Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges. The Ofsted review commented on how prevalent sexual harassment and online sexual abuse have become for children and young people: “It is concerning that for some children, incidents are so commonplace that they see no point in reporting them.” The report went on to recommend the need for:
“[A] carefully sequenced RSHE curriculum, based on the Department for Education’s (DfE’s) statutory guidance, that specifically includes sexual harassment and sexual violence, including online. This should include time for open discussion of topics that children and young people tell us they find particularly difficult, such as consent and the sending of ‘nudes.’” – Ofsted
Following the publication of revised statutory guidance for relationships, sex and health education, the DfE is looking to provide further support for schools in teaching about sexual harassment, sexual violence, and violence against women and girls. The primary aim of this project was to conduct a review of evidence to inform further support for schools and to ensure that this support is based on the best possible evidence, particularly of best practice. The evidence review was conducted employing the technique of a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA). The methodology and steps to conducting an REA are presented in the section below. As a secondary aim, this project also identified evidence gaps and areas requiring further research. Finally, another key aim of the project was the development of a list of key recommendations for further support for schools. The recommendations are based on (i) the literature reviewed, and (ii) advice, expertise and additional evidence shared by a group of sector experts formed specifically for this project (which is described as the ‘Expert Group’ in the rest of this report).
This report presents the results of the REA, providing a comprehensive review of evidence on teaching interventions to prevent sexual abuse, and the list of recommendations produced based on the findings of the REA and inputs from the Expert Group.
Click here to access the full report
Brook have lots of useful resources around Periods including this video on "Top Tips for Period Wellbeing".
They also have full pre-recorded lessons such as "The big period lesson 2"
There are also some user friendly handouts on a variety of PSHE & RSE themes=:
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI's) Handout
Useful information and resources for parents, carers, school leaders and young people on a variety of subjects including Online Sexual Harassment, Incel Movement, Sexual Violence Prevention, Image-based sexual harassment and abuse, School uniform guidance and a RSHE Policy Guide. Click here to view the resources
Check out these 10 quick steps to empower schools and communities to support children and young people to talk about their feelings, experiences and painful life events with an emotionally available adult, with tips on how to take care of yourself in order to provide this for the young people you work with.
10 Quick Tips Factsheet from Trauma Informed Schools Wales and UK
Dame Rachel de Souza, The Children's Commissioner, talks with the Naked Truth Project as part of their P Word Series, about the things children have told her about seeing pornography, how it affects then and what we can do to stop it. She also speaks of the need for high-quality, age-appropriate Relationship, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) that starts early and evolves as children mature- which we at GHLL also heavily advocate for! Please check out our training calendar for our courses which support this.
Click here to read the full blog post
See this helpful document from LifeLessons which clearly outlines the changes and additions made to the 2025 Relationships, Sex (RSE) and Health Education Guidance from the previous 2019 guidance.
SWIRL.scot is the new tool for professionals to support the development of accessible sexual health and wellbeing information. The images are free to use for educational purposes
The BBFC has published a new KS4/5 resource exploring the potential harms of pornography and how online content can shape young people’s attitudes towards relationships and sex. Developed in partnership
with PSHE Association and aligned with the DfE's statutory RSHE guidance, the free resource provides guidance alongside two complete lesson packs.
Life Support Productions have added easy read subtitles to their online resource for SEND students
‘You, Your Body, Growing Up, Relationships and Sex’.
‘Jason’s Private World’ and ‘Kylie’s Private World’
The search is on for our next youth partner!
We're inviting youth-led groups to join a 12–18 month funded partnership to improve RSE. Groups will receive mentoring, action-planning support, and access to funding to turn their ideas into impact. If you work with young people (aged 16-25) who are passionate about making RSE more inclusive and effective, please share this opportunity with them!
Find out more
pfeg is the UK’s leading financial education charity and the most trusted provider of knowledge, guidance and resources for those teaching children and young people about money.
pfeg’s Centres of Excellence programme provides practical, effective and sustainable financial education for young people in school.
View their guide here : Step by Step Guide
NSPCC Learning have some useful resourses for parents and carers of children and young people who have a learning disability on navigating puberty and sexual development
There are two guides for adults:
There is a series of symbolised booklets on:
The resourses can be downloaded from the NSPCC Learning webpages by clicking here
Educate Against Hate have a comprehensive resources pack including PowerPoint slides and a video aimed at students to introduce fundamental British values in an engaging way. Suitable for KS3, 4 & 5. Click here to access the resources.
Staying SAFE Online Posters
Schools and colleges play a vital role in helping young people navigate the risks of harmful and extremist content online. With extremist narratives increasingly appearing in everyday digital spaces, gaming platforms, memes, influencer channels, and algorithm driven feeds, pupils may encounter harmful messages without seeking out or recognising them.
Educate Against Hate have a set of clear, accessible posters designed for classrooms and staffrooms. They are designed to raise awareness and help start those important conversations and include a memorable SAFE mnemonic to support safer online behaviour.
Click here to access the KS3, KS4/5 and staff posters and start the conversation today.
Life lessons have a multitude of resources on topics for PSHE and RSHE including Diversity and Inclusion, Misogyny and Sexual violence, Mental Health and Wellbeing and much more. With resources for all Key Stages check out their Free Learning Materials Here.
Free sign up required.
Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education is the school subject through which pupils develop the knowledge, skills, attributes and agency they need to manage their lives, now and in the future.
It helps children and young people to stay healthy and safe, while preparing them to make the most of their lives and careers. PSHE education also helps pupils to achieve their academic potential by removing barriers to learning.
PSHE Association Programme of Study for PSHE Education (Key stages 1–5), 2026.pd
Why is it that some families can begin to disengage with primary school life? And what can we do about it? Cassie Higgleton considers how schools can reach the parents who go quiet
The Education Endowment Foundation has found that effective parental engagement can lead to pupils – especially younger children – making another four months of progress on average in a single academic year - Adobe Stock
Schools work tirelessly to keep the doors open for parents and carers to join in events, ask questions, or discuss issues their child might be having with their learning, friendships, or wellbeing.
But in every school there is usually at least one family which never makes it in to parents’ evening, forgets World Book Day, or regularly fails to return consent forms.
It might not happen straight away. Sometimes contact will slowly begin to slip, often for no apparent reason. But whatever the cause, these are the parents who schools need to reach and re-engage with as we know how closely linked pupils’ attendance and achievement is to the relationship we have with their families.
The Education Endowment Foundation’s research summaries, for example, tell us that with effective parental engagement, a child could make another four months’ progress on average in a single academic year (EEF, 2025) and there is “a strong evidence-base” supporting this approach with younger children in particular.
For the EEF, parental engagement refers to teachers and schools involving parents in supporting their children’s academic learning and includes:
But who are the parents most at risk of going quiet, and what can you do to get them back on board when they do? In this article I will outline some of the most common issues that schools face in this regard and some things you can do to address them.
Language barriers
Most schools are teaching increasing numbers of children who don’t speak English at home. Language barriers can often be misinterpreted as parental disinterest in school life, but this is often not the case. Language barriers just make it harder for parents to get involved, even when they want to.
The family who avoids coming in to school to see their child get the star of the week could just be worried that they’ll end up in conversation with other parents or concerned that they will misunderstand while talking with a teacher. There are some simple strategies you can use to help parents in this position.
One way to bridge language gaps is to send all information home in parents’ first language. There are plenty of translation tools that can do this quickly to make sure parents know what’s happening at school. You can also ask bilingual members of staff to be on hand at events or meetings to welcome parents, translate questions and talk through any concerns.
Editor’s note: Headteacher Update publishes a range of articles from The Bell Foundation focused on supporting EAL pupils and their families including this article on supporting EAL parents.
Having that extra support might just encourage parents to feel more positive about coming in to school, which will also rub off on their children.
Lack of time
You’ve probably met a parent who cares deeply about their child’s learning, but somehow something always gets in the way of them attending a face-to-face meeting. This is where a little flexibility can make a big difference.
Parents who work irregular hours or have younger children at home to look after might really value the chance to join a quick virtual call instead. This can give them the chance to discuss their children’s progress or update you on how a pupil is coping with a new baby in the house, without the stress of trying to fit an evening meeting at school into an already challenging household routine.
There are also those families that ignore a newsletter but really value hands-on activities, like a learning support workshop, where they can chat with other parents and pick up practical tips to help their child at home. They are likely to get far more from an event like this and could pass on what they’ve learned to other parents.
Information overload
If parents are giving you the cold shoulder, it can be useful to consider if there’s anything the school is doing that could be making it harder for them to stay engaged. Something as simple as information overload can be a contributing factor.
How and when a school communicates with parents can make a big difference to how involved they are. Constantly bombarding parents with texts and emails can quickly turn them off and make it difficult for them to keep track of what is important.
A parent might receive a text about homework and then a separate email about an upcoming school trip. If it isn’t immediately clear, they may not know which message to deal with first, what action they need to take, or who to contact if they have questions.
Keeping communication to one or two clear channels can make life much easier for busy families. When parents know where to find updates and who to ask if they need help, they are far more likely to read the messages they receive and respond when they’re asked to.
And finally, the EEF research cited above reminds us: “Consider how to tailor school communications to encourage positive dialogue about learning. There is some evidence that personalised messages linked to learning can promote positive interactions.”
Everyday pressures
Parents don’t usually stop caring about their child’s learning. Sometimes what looks like disengagement can be the early sign of a family under pressure that may not be immediately obvious. Worries about housing, health or relationships can push school matters down the priority list and leave parents with little time or energy for anything else.
A quick phone call or even a short home visit can give you the chance to chat informally and find out what help the family might need. It can also be a way to point parents towards support – parenting groups, financial advice, wellbeing and other local services. Although you might not be helping directly with anything educational, you could help to build a stronger relationship with a family which can only have a positive impact on a child’s learning.
Homework
Some parents feel out of their depth and the tipping point for this can be when helping with homework, particularly as their child moves further up the school and topics get more complicated.
Parents worry about getting it wrong or confusing their child, even when all they want to do is be supportive. Schools can significantly lower anxiety levels by giving parents the confidence to help.
A homework club for key areas such as literacy and maths can offer parents a safe and relaxed place where we can discuss the best way to support their child’s homework, with a teacher nearby to offer a helping hand. Sessions like these show families how specific subjects are taught in school and also help them to realise that they are not expected to have all the answers.
Help staff to deal with difficult situations
Even in the most family-friendly schools, not all staff feel completely confident when dealing with a parent who is upset with a teacher or worried about their child. Conversations about poor attendance, late homework, or behaviour concerns can be challenging but if you give staff training and support, they will feel better prepared to handle these sensitive situations.
An INSET day on active listening, de-escalating conflict, or cultural awareness might be all that’s needed to give a teacher the skills and confidence to approach these conversations positively. You can pair early career teachers with more experienced colleagues who already have strong relationships with families. This allows them to observe, receive practical feedback, or practise role-playing scenarios to develop their own positive communication style.
Make it easy for important details, such as parents’ preferred communication channels or changes in a child’s home life, to be passed on to teachers as pupils move up the school too. When teachers understand what’s happening at home and can offer support, families are less likely to feel isolated.
Parental engagement on everyone’s to-do list
Parental engagement is most effective when it’s part of the fabric of a school, not just something extra staff have to do on top of everything else.
Parents who feel listened to and are well supported can help a school tackle so many other issues, like improving children’s attendance, achievement and wellbeing.
Keep an eye on the progress you’re making in improving engagement. Are more parents coming to face-to-face meetings and events? Are they using the school’s app or parent platform more regularly? Do surveys show they feel included and informed?
Having a clear plan for improving parental engagement makes it easier to roll-out strategies consistently across year groups and gives staff clear objectives to work towards.
At its heart, good parental engagement is about finding ways to make families feel welcome, understood and confident about what they can do at home to support their child. Children notice when their parents take part in school life and are often more motivated to learn and succeed as a result.
Further information & resources
EEF: Parental engagement, Teaching and Learning Toolkit, last updated May 2025: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/parental-engagement
Tagged under: consent, porn, sex, sexting, sexual health, RSE, Key Stage 5, Key stage 1&2, Key stage 3&4, digital world, ban, pornographic, pornography, age, under age, desensitising, young, explicit, online, relationships, blackmail, controlling, online, internet safety, CEOP, Online Sexual Harassment, Incel Movement, Sexual Violence Prevention, Image-based sexual harassment and abuse, School uniform guidance, RSHE Policy Guide, trauma informed, well being, RSE Guidance, RSHE Guidance, money, finance, fundamental british values, British Values, staying safe online
Was the information on this page helpful? 
© 2026 Gloucestershire Healthy Living and Learning, all rights reserved.
Email: ghll@gloucestershire.gov.uk
Site map | Terms & conditions | Privacy policy
Web design: 
