In June 2021, Ofsted published its review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges. It reports that sexual harassment has been normalised in schools, and that schools should assume that every student is impacted by it.
More than 90% of girls and 74% of boys said that sexist name-calling happens a lot or sometimes to them or their peers. Nearly 90% of girls and nearly 50% of boys said that being sent explicit pictures or videos of things they did not want to see happens a lot or sometimes to them or their peers.
The frequency at which these harmful sexual behaviours occur means that children and young people often don't challenge or report them because sexual harassment is considered normal and commonplace.
Ofsted recommends that schools, colleges and multiagency partners act as though sexual harassment is happening even when there are no specific reports. They are looking to see secondary schools make a whole-school response and Dignify is here to help schools achieve that remit.
“It is concerning that for some children, incidents are so commonplace that they see no point in reporting them.”
~ Ofsted, 2021
Our Dignify School Survey is recommended for use in years 10+. There is no explicit content and student participants remain completely anonymous.
The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and has 7 sections:
Survey preview links can be issued to schools so teachers can familiarise themselves with the content in advance.
Participating schools receive a detailed report of their school's unique results.
Our pack of 21 lessons comprise age-appropriate content for Years 7 to 13. There are 3 lessons for each year: 1 lesson for each of the key themes drawn from Dignify's mission and embodied by our Charter.
The easy-to-follow lesson plans equip teachers to confidently deliver PSHE lessons on topics not ordinarily taught in schools.
The Dignify Schools Team can also visit your school to deliver in-person assemblies, sessions and workshops, or provide teacher support for session delivery.
Our virtual resources supplement schools' PSHE lessons and can also be used in youth group settings.
For more information, email us at letstalk@dignify.org
We were delighted to welcome [the Dignify Schools Team] who led a session with our Year 10 boys on the very topical subject of pornography and the damage it can do as part of our Relationships and Sex education drop down day at Parmiter’s.
The session caught the full attention of our students as it spelt out clearly the science behind how pornography can have such a detrimental effect upon the teenage brain. It was clear through observing the session that the boys were fully engaged in what is a very sensitive topic.
As headmaster, I was delighted to see such high levels of engagement from the boys who responded to the questioning and opportunity for discussion with such maturity.
I would be very happy to recommend the session unreservedly to other schools as part of their Relationship and Sex education programme.
Mr M. Jones, BA Med,
Headmaster, Parmiter’s School, Hertfordshire
I really enjoyed the sessions and [the Dignify Schools Team] engaged and interacted with the pupils really well.
Lauren Pruden-Lawson,
Head of Middle School,
Merchant Taylors’ School, Middlesex
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