Leadership

Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges

Ofsted is warning that sexual harassment has become "normalised" among school-age children, where students often do not see the point of reporting abuse and many teachers underestimate the scale of these problems.

This Ofsted rapid review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges found that some girls can be contacted by up to 11 boys a night asking for nude images, and that nine in 10 girls experienced sexist name-calling or were sent explicit photos or videos.

Ofsted is warning that sexual harassment has become "normalised" among school-age children, where students often do not see the point of reporting abuse and many teachers underestimate the scale of these problems.

The review included visits to 32 schools and colleges and revealed how prevalent sexual harassment and online sexual abuse are for children and young people.

Children and young people were rarely positive about the RSHE they had received. They felt that it was too little, too late and that the curriculum was not equipping them with the information and advice they needed to navigate the reality of their lives.

In the schools and colleges visited, some teachers and leaders underestimated the scale of the problem. They either did not identify sexual harassment and sexualised language as problematic or they were unaware they were happening. They were dealing with incidents of sexual violence when they were made aware of them, and following statutory guidance. But professionals consistently underestimated the prevalence of online sexual abuse, even when there was a proactive whole-school approach to tackling sexual harassment and violence.

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