What the RSHE 2026 Framework Means for Secondary Schools

The RSHE 2026 changes

On 15 July 2025, the Department for Education published its first comprehensive update to the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) statutory guidance since 2019. The revised guidance comes into force on 1 September 2026, giving schools a defined window to audit their curriculum, update their policies and build staff confidence.

This is not a minor amendment. The 2025 update represents a fundamental reorientation of what RSHE is expected to achieve — moving beyond biological knowledge and consent towards a broader framework for preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG), building digital literacy, and equipping young people to navigate an increasingly hostile online environment.

Schools that begin planning now will be well ahead. Those that wait until the summer term of 2026 will find themselves under significant pressure.

What schools must do differently

The updated guidance introduces seven guiding principles for RSHE delivery, placing pupil engagement at the top of the list. Schools are now explicitly required to consult with pupils in developing their RSHE curriculum — not just with parents — and to demonstrate that their programme responds to the real experiences of their students.

Three areas of significant new content stand out for secondary schools:

Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). The guidance explicitly frames RSHE as a VAWG prevention tool. Schools must now ensure that teaching about sexual ethics goes beyond consent to address kindness, respect and the conditions that enable harm. The government has stated that halving VAWG is a mission-level priority, and schools are named as a key delivery vehicle.

Positive masculinity and femininity. The guidance calls for teaching that opens conversations with young people about positive gender identities — acknowledging the influence of harmful gender norms without stigmatising any individual. This is a direct response to evidence on the manosphere and misogynistic influencer culture reaching young people through social media.

Online safety and digital relationships. The 2025 update substantially strengthens expectations around teaching online risks. This includes harmful content, digital harassment, image-based abuse and the manipulation of young people by online platforms and influencers.

Online misogyny requirements

Research published in PLOS ONE in February 2025 by Over, Bunce, Baggaley and Zendle at the University of York found that 76% of secondary school teachers and 60% of primary school teachers in the UK reported being extremely concerned about the influence of online misogyny in their schools. The same study found that 44% of secondary teachers described female pupils being victims of misogynistic comments, discrimination or inappropriate behaviour as a direct result of online content.

The 2025 RSHE guidance responds to this evidence base directly. Schools are now expected to teach young people to recognise and resist misogynistic narratives, to understand how influencer culture can shape harmful attitudes, and to develop the critical thinking skills to interrogate the content they encounter online.

This is not simply an extension of existing online safety work. It requires a considered pedagogical approach — one that challenges harmful attitudes without shaming the young people who hold them, and that builds genuine understanding rather than compliance.

Practical implementation

Schools should approach the September 2026 deadline with a structured implementation plan across three phases:

Audit (now to Easter 2026). Review your current RSHE provision against the new statutory requirements. Identify gaps in content — particularly around VAWG, online misogyny, digital relationships and image-based abuse. Map existing resources against the new guidance and identify where external expertise is required.

Build (Easter to July 2026). Develop or source curriculum materials that meet the new requirements. Invest in staff training — particularly for form tutors and PSHE leads who may not have specialist knowledge of online harms or gendered violence. Consult with pupils and update your published RSHE policy to reflect the new statutory content.

Deliver (from September 2026). Begin delivering the updated programme with confidence. Ofsted will be assessing RSHE provision as part of its evaluation of personal development and safeguarding — not as a standalone subject inspection. Schools that can demonstrate a coherent, evidence-informed approach will be well placed.

Resources and next steps

The Department for Education has committed to a ring-fenced RSHE training grant, though full details had not been published at the time of writing. The Sex Education Forum has published a detailed summary of the guidance changes, and the National Association of Head Teachers has provided guidance for school leaders on implementation planning.

Social Media Resilience® delivers RSHE-aligned programmes on online misogyny, AI and deepfakes, and digital resilience for secondary schools across England. Our sessions are designed by safeguarding specialists and subject experts, and are mapped to the new statutory guidance.