Latest news with #RHSE
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Knife crime lessons should be mandatory
A charity is calling for all primary school children to be taught how to avoid getting involved in knife crime as part of the national curriculum. Maya Joseph-Hussain, who is chief executive at the Safety Centre in Milton Keynes, said "every young child should have access to this education". Knife crime prevention is discussed in schools but is not mandatory. The government says it is reviewing how the issue is taught as part of a wider review into relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). "There have been so many incidents where young people have tragically lost their lives," said Ms Joseph-Hussain. "The sooner we equip them, the sooner we increase their chances of staying safe and leading safe and happy lives." Staff at the Safety Centre began giving knife crime sessions to schoolchildren after noticing an increase in knife-enabled crimes. The number of knife-enabled crimes was 4% higher in England and Wales in the year ending September 2024, compared with the previous year. But Thames Valley Police - the local force for Buckinghamshire - says it has seen an 8% reduction in knife crime over the past year. Trips to the Safety Centre see pupils learn how to remove themselves from difficult situations, about criminal responsibility and the concept of joint enterprise - where multiple people can be convicted of the same crime, even if they did not directly commit it. Since 2022, the charity says more than 20,000 children and young people have attended a session. Knife crime prevention is talked about in schools as part of RHSE. But the National Education Union says the current system "does not allow for enough time for important matters to be sufficiently discussed and addressed, such as knife crime prevention". It added that "these issues do not begin and end at the school gates" and has called on the government to do more. The Department for Education says it is reviewing RHSE guidance to "make sure it remains relevant and protects children's well-being". The results from that are set to be published in autumn 2025. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Knife crime: 'There is a war going on in the UK' Majority of teen homicide victims killed by blade, says ONS 'Rise in knife crime truly frightening,' says Kemp Safety Centre Review of RHSE statutory guidance
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Knife crime lessons should be mandatory
A charity is calling for all primary school children to be taught how to avoid getting involved in knife crime as part of the national curriculum. Maya Joseph-Hussain, who is chief executive at the Safety Centre in Milton Keynes, said "every young child should have access to this education". Knife crime prevention is discussed in schools but is not mandatory. The government says it is reviewing how the issue is taught as part of a wider review into relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). "There have been so many incidents where young people have tragically lost their lives," said Ms Joseph-Hussain. "The sooner we equip them, the sooner we increase their chances of staying safe and leading safe and happy lives." Staff at the Safety Centre began giving knife crime sessions to schoolchildren after noticing an increase in knife-enabled crimes. The number of knife-enabled crimes was 4% higher in England and Wales in the year ending September 2024, compared with the previous year. But Thames Valley Police - the local force for Buckinghamshire - says it has seen an 8% reduction in knife crime over the past year. Trips to the Safety Centre see pupils learn how to remove themselves from difficult situations, about criminal responsibility and the concept of joint enterprise - where multiple people can be convicted of the same crime, even if they did not directly commit it. Since 2022, the charity says more than 20,000 children and young people have attended a session. Knife crime prevention is talked about in schools as part of RHSE. But the National Education Union says the current system "does not allow for enough time for important matters to be sufficiently discussed and addressed, such as knife crime prevention". It added that "these issues do not begin and end at the school gates" and has called on the government to do more. The Department for Education says it is reviewing RHSE guidance to "make sure it remains relevant and protects children's well-being". The results from that are set to be published in autumn 2025. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Knife crime: 'There is a war going on in the UK' Majority of teen homicide victims killed by blade, says ONS 'Rise in knife crime truly frightening,' says Kemp Safety Centre Review of RHSE statutory guidance
The Independent
25-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Schools to run anti-misogyny classes for boys in bid to tackle toxic masculinity
Schoolchildren are set to be given lessons in how to counter misogyny and toxic masculinity amid the rise of influencers such as Andrew Tate. The Independent understands that health and sex education (RHSE) guidance for schools will be updated at the start the next academic year to add sections on supporting healthy relationships and to help schools target harmful narratives that are spread on social media. The guidance, which is still being updated, will also teach children at primary and secondary school how to navigate difficult emotions and have a focus tackling sexist content spread online. It comes as Sir Keir Starmer has expressed admiration for Stephen Graham 's Netflix series Adolescence about a teenage boy who is arrested for murdering a girl after being influenced by incel propaganda online. As well as watching it with his two teenagers at home, he has supported a campaign for it to be shown in schools. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson has been under pressure to overturn the draft RHSE guidance, put forward when the Conservatives were in power, which included plans to ban sex education for children under the age of nine, as well as discussion of gender identity. The Independent has spoken to school leaders about the problems caused by harmful attitudes held by young men, with one headteacher warning parents not to brush their concerns about the growing influence of toxic masculinity under the carpet and to speak to people about it. Michael Sullivan, head teacher of Forest Hill School for boys in Lewisham, had a message for parents who might be concerned about their sons: 'Speak to your son, speak to his school, and don't try and brush it under the carpet. 'I think that's the worst thing you could do if you are concerned about something. 'Speak to the people who might be able to support you or your son or the person you're concerned about to change that and for us to make sure that these things are openly discussed in a healthy way.' Forest Hill School has worked with Beyond Equality, an education programme who run workshops on positive masculinity values, in response to the growing influence of Andrew Tate, the manosphere and toxic masculinity among teenage boys. 'As an all boys school, we have a duty to address the negative stereotypes that can sometimes be associated incorrectly with an all boys' education. 'We want to make sure that we were proactively addressing some of the issues that were coming out with the toxic masculinity agenda.' Mr Sullivan said that while he didn't feel his school had a 'particular issue' with toxic masculinity, the decision to work with Beyond Equality stemmed from wanting to 'address it in a proactive way while boys are with us in the school.' He isn't the only teacher who has expressed the importance of addressing this issue. Clive Hill, a teacher at Meden School, Nottinghamshire, told The Independent that the sector had noticed a rise in sexist behaviour. 'We've definitely seen a rise in the need to tackle those sorts of behaviours,' said the teacher, who got into education via TeachFirst. 'That's across several schools. It's across the sector when I talk to colleagues at conferences.' It became a personal issue for Mr Hill when his daughter, who attended a co-ed sixth form attached to an all boys school, was on the receiving end of misogyny with some 'students outright praising Andrew Tate'. Mr Hill said that part of the issue stems from within the school: 'We don't have enough role models in schools. We've got the issue with recruitment of where you need to be seen in the classroom for students to be able to relate to who they are.' The latest figures from the Department of Education saw that men now make up only a third of staff at secondary schools, down from nearly half 30 years ago. 'I think to start off with the narrative around what positive masculinity is has got to come from males,' Mr Hill said. 'It's got to come from male teachers.' He continued: 'The narrative that we need to portray to young men is that they are the solution, not the problem.' Adolescence has not only become a talking point in parliament, but in schools as well. Educator Will Adolphy, co-founder of M-Path, which goes into schools delivering masculinity programmes, has already noticed the impact of the show. 'I've already had teachers reference [it],' he said. 'I've said [to my whole team],guys, this is homework now because teachers are going to be referencing this. 'That TV show really shows just how important it is that we engage boys and men, otherwise we might lose them to isolation and, and the manosphere and violence, gender-based violence.' He added: 'We don't know what healthy masculinity really looks like yet culturally, like we don't see it much in our films and TV still. We don't see it much in our books or in our music.' Mr Adolphy knows firsthand the positive impact from teaching healthy masculinity. 'My approach is to go in there and I'm not a teacher, I'm not a member of staff. I'm one of you and I share my story', he said. 'I'm modelling vulnerability', he added. 'I'm not there to tell them how to live their lives.' He continued: 'I've found with that approach, sometimes you see the bravado drop. The educator sat down with Sir Keir and health secretary Wes Streeting last year where they discussed men's health strategy, discussing in particular what can be done to bring boys and men into the conversation alongside the effort for girls and women. 'Because it's going to benefit everyone', he said, adding that the moment filled him with optimism. 'I'm excited.'
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Yahoo
We need to value and celebrate our boys. Let's not behave like they're all latent misogynists
Unless they make a TV drama about an issue, it doesn't exist. That is where we are now. It took Mr Bates vs The Post Office for people to gasp: 'But this was horrendous!', for the prime minister to announce new legislation to exonerate wrongly convicted subpostmasters and former Post Office CEO Paula Vennells to have her CBE withdrawn. It took Baby Reindeer for us all to realise that, yes, women stalk men too! And maybe it's time we started taking it seriously? Then there's the hit new Netflix show Adolescence, which shines a light on the corrosive impact of social media and misogynistic influencers on teenage boys – and has taken this phenomenon to an almost comedic level. Like coma patients, who have awoken from a 25-year slumber, we're all suddenly up in arms about this thing called 'The Internet'. 'These boys who spend their days and nights immersed in a toxic online culture,' came the mass musings. 'What if it's not good for them?' I think it may very well not be. And we could probably have come to this conclusion sooner. But an awakening is still an awakening, and while the scientists, sociologists and mental health campaigners who have been telling us this for decades beat their heads against the wall, everyone has been busy coming up with solutions to this 'new' problem. One, reported on Sunday, is the introduction of 'counter misogyny classes' at school. As part of a concerted effort to quash the growing influence of toxic figures such as Andrew Tate, and broader 'incel culture', the Government is to include this guidance in relationships, health and sex education lessons (RHSE) before the end of the academic year. With content expected to include everything from 'the real-life complexities of romantic and sexual relationships' to 'how to manage difficult emotions that can relate to relationships – including disappointment or anger as well as the influence of online misogynistic content and the impact of pornography on sexual behaviour', this should only be a step forward. A positive thing. So why does the idea fill me with dread? The truth is that I've lost all confidence in schools – or, at least, in their ability to behave sensibly with sensitive issues such as these. We've seen what happened with inclusivity and gender teachings. One minute we're nodding sagely along to the principle of our child being taught about equal opportunities and respect for all, the next that child is being taught that he or she is innately racist, sexist and exclusionary. Introducing the idea that we shouldn't feel bound or imprisoned by socially constructed gender characteristics is obviously a good thing. We are all very different. Only suddenly children are being told to put their biological gender in doubt, and that they can in fact pick from 72 different kinds, if they want. Why should these anti-misogyny classes be any different? Because I can imagine all too clearly what the narrative might become. As with critical race theory, we'd have teachers telling young boys that they are inherently misogynistic. That they can only be cleansed of this natural toxicity if they shed all characteristically male attributes and become more like girls. And this would only compound the problem. Boys have had enough of being told that they are the bad apples. Every statistic now reflects how detrimental that strategy has been, from their worsening academic performance to their school drop-out rates. We now know that 550,000 young men are not in work, education or training, and that for the first time in history, young men are earning less than women (by nine per cent). It's because they no longer feel that there is a place for them out there in the world – where their loud voices may cause upset and their preference for directness is construed as 'aggressive' – that they have been driven underground towards the likes of Tate. If we are genuinely trying to quash the rise of misogyny in boys and young men, we should be looking at what they find so appealing about 'manosphere' influencers. And by the way, the answer to that is simple: it's about value. These cynical, money-making scumbags have only got where they are by making boys feel valued. We can do that too. We can show them that they are valued for what they are, and not what they could or should be if they change everything about themselves 'to fit'. That alone would take away so much resentment and allow a respect for women to flourish. But if Starmer – who has apparently been watching Adolescence with his two teenagers – really wants to make an immediate difference, he knows what he has to do: ditch the cowardly 'we'll leave it up to you' stance and ban mobile phones in schools. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Express Tribune
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Adolescence prompts anti-misogyny curriculum shift in UK schools
Listen to article Schools across the UK will begin teaching anti-misogyny lessons to boys as part of a broader government push to tackle toxic masculinity, following the viral success of Netflix's drama series Adolescence. The new content will be introduced under updated Relationships, Health and Sex Education (RHSE) guidance set to roll out before the end of the academic year. The move comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer publicly backed calls for the four-episode series to be shown in schools and parliament to spark discussion around misogyny, social media influence, and gendered violence. Sir Keir Starmer revealed during Prime Minister's Questions last week that he watched Adolescence with his teenage children and found it powerful. 'We need to talk about this as families, in schools, and in parliament,' he said. Adolescence follows the story of 13-year-old Jamie Miller, whose life spirals into tragedy after being radicalised by misogynistic content online, ultimately stabbing a female classmate. The series, created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham—who also stars as Jamie's father—became Netflix's most-watched show globally last weekend. Labour officials say the new classroom guidance aims to help students develop empathy, respect, and emotional literacy. From primary school, children will learn about boundaries and consent, while older students will explore ethics, power dynamics in relationships, and the impact of online influences. 'We want to support healthy relationships, ensure misogyny is stamped out, and equip students with the tools to navigate the digital world,' a government source told The Times. The lessons also aim to address issues raised by parents, teachers, and campaigners following a string of violent incidents involving young men and radical online ideologies. The parents of a Southport stabbing survivor praised Adolescence for highlighting the dangers of online misogyny. Their daughter was one of several victims in a 2024 attack by 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, who was sentenced to life in prison earlier this year. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is reportedly revising guidance issued by the previous Conservative government, which limited sex education for children under nine and restricted classroom discussions on gender identity. The revised guidance will focus on early intervention and digital literacy. In secondary schools, students will be encouraged to discuss topics such as communication, vulnerability, pornography, and managing difficult emotions like anger and jealousy. Teachers have also been instructed to watch for signs of 'incel culture' and misogynistic attitudes among boys aged 14 and older. The initiative has received support from public figures, including former England football manager Sir Gareth Southgate, who last week criticised 'manipulative' influencers targeting boys. In his Dimbleby Lecture, Southgate warned of a culture where masculinity is defined by wealth, dominance, and emotional suppression, calling it 'callous, toxic, and dangerous.' The creators of Adolescence say they hope the show will lead to lasting change. 'We made this to spark conversation,' said Stephen Graham. 'If it gets people to think differently or to listen more closely, then we've done our job.'
