The new statutory guidance on Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE), published in July 2025, marks a significant step forward in helping schools navigate the complex realities faced by young people today. At the Schools Consent Project, we welcome the emphasis on empowering pupils to build respectful, informed relationships and equipping teachers and parents with the tools to support them. As ever, our role is to help schools deliver on these ambitions, and this updated guidance provides a timely opportunity to reflect on how we do so.
One of the most striking features of the new guidance is its direct approach to tackling online misinformation and misogyny. For the first time, there is a clear expectation that schools will teach pupils to critically evaluate the information they encounter online, recognising the dangers of distorted narratives, deepfakes and conspiracy theories. This goes hand-in-hand with teaching pupils how subcultures such as incel forums and certain online influencers can promote misogynistic attitudes and behaviours. Importantly, pupils are to be taught that harmful stereotypes and online abuse are never acceptable; and that they can and should be challenged. This fits squarely with our mission to ensure young people understand not only the law around consent but also the ethical principles underpinning it.
Parents also feature prominently in the new guidance. Schools are now asked to adopt a more proactive and transparent approach to engaging parents in RSHE, particularly around sensitive topics. Parents must be given access to all materials used in RSHE lessons and should be invited into discussions about how these topics are taught. At the Schools Consent Project, we see this as an opportunity to help parents feel more confident in continuing these conversations at home. Our workshops and resources are designed not just for pupils but also for parents, giving them a shared language with their children around consent, respect and healthy relationships.
The guidance also acknowledges the critical role of teachers and the need for high-quality training and support. Delivering RSHE effectively requires more than subject knowledge; it demands confidence in facilitating nuanced discussions, addressing difficult questions, and managing disclosures safely. The Schools Consent Project supports schools by providing expert-led sessions for staff, ensuring they are well-prepared to deliver this content with sensitivity and authority. We also offer resources that can be incorporated into RSHE curricula, complementing the statutory content with real-life scenarios and participatory activities.
What makes this guidance different is its insistence that RSHE is not a standalone subject but part of a whole-school approach to wellbeing and safeguarding. Discussions about consent, boundaries and respect should echo through behaviour policies, pastoral care and even subjects like history and literature. Our work is already aligned with this approach: we help schools embed the principles of consent into their broader culture so that pupils encounter consistent messages about kindness, respect and responsibility.
As schools prepare to implement this updated guidance, the Schools Consent Project stands ready to support them. Whether through pupil workshops that challenge harmful myths, training for staff on how to talk about consent with confidence, or sessions for parents to bring them into the conversation, we are committed to helping schools meet these new expectations. Together, we can give young people the knowledge and skills they need to form healthy relationships – online and offline – and to stand up against the attitudes and behaviours that undermine them.