“Everyone’s Invited” is a website that was set up with the purpose of changing societal attitudes by highlighting examples of sexual harassment and sexual violence.There are over 51,000 testimonies on the website naming hundreds of education settings across the UK with the disclosures highlighting the full spectrum of behaviour from lower level harassment to serious sexual assault and rape. Following this the government requested that Ofsted complete a rapid review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges. 

Ofsted completed 8 weeks of rapid work to complete the review. They visited 32 schools across the country including, secondary schools, colleges,all through schools and 2 primary schools. Ofsted spoke with leaders, governors, staff, parents and local safeguarding boards as part of the review. They also looked at the RSE and PSHE curriculum being delivered to students.

On the visits they spoke with 900 children and surveys were completed by 800 students from year 9 and above. 

They looked across a spectrum of behaviour from normal through to abusive to see what the children felt was most prevalent in their lives and environments. Some of the behaviours included:

• Rumours about sexual activity

• Unwanted touching

• Feeling pressured to do sexual things that they didn’t want to

• Inappropriate sexual comments

• Being sent sexual pictures and videos

• Pressured to send sexual pictures and videos

• Sexual pictures and videos being shared without their knowledge or consent.

The review found that girls experience this more, however boys are also saying that this is happening to them too. It has become commonplace for the children that this is happening and we as professionals are underestimating the scale of the problem. The review did highlight that schools are dealing with incidents when reported, however there needs to be a cultural shift  as children do not report what they feel is commonplace and when behaviour starts to creep from normal into the problematic and unacceptable. Everyone needs to understand what is and what is not acceptable behaviour. When they asked children and young people where sexual violence occurred, they typically talked about unsupervised spaces outside of school, such as parties or parks without adults present, although some girls told them they also experienced unwanted touching in school corridors.

The RSE/PSHE curriculum was found to be patchy and inconsistent, there was not enough time on the timetable and staff were not equipped to deliver RSE effectively. The children felt that it doesn’t cover what is needed as well as not having enough depth or time for discussion. Children stated that it was reactive too little too late being delivered once issues were occurring.

Recommendations from the review: 

Ofsted have been very clear that schools can not do this alone.

For Schools:

• Create a culture where sexual harassment and online sexual abuse are not tolerated and where they identify issues and intervene early to better protect children and young people. 

• Having a school where they say it does happen here even if there have been no reports of incidents.

For Government:

• Take into account Ofsted’s findings when developing the online safety bill.

• Strengthen the working together to safeguard children guidance.*

• Produce clearer guidance for schools to help them make decisions when long term investigations of harmful sexual behaviour or when criminal investigation does not lead to convicition.*

• Review and update definitions of peer on peer abuse to better reflect children’s experiences, including looking at language and terms used.*

• Develop an online hub of guidance for schools, better training for DSLs and training for staff delivering RSE curriculum.

*since the review KCSIE 2021 was updated along with Sexual abuse and Harassment between children in schools and colleges guidance.

The Government in partnership with others:

• Develop a guide that helps children and young people know what might happen next when they disclose sexual abuse or harassment.

• Develop national training for DSL’s

• Develop resources to help schools and colleges shape their RSE curriculum

• Launch a communications campaign about sexual harassment and online sexual abuse, which should include advise for parents and carers.

Ofsted Inspections:

During the review Ofsted reflected on their own practice and found that they need to strengthen their inspections to follow up with schools on incidents of Sexual abuse and harassment in schools.

The new inspection handbook which came into effect on the 1st September 2021 has an added section on sexual abuse and harassment in schools its states: As part of the assessing safeguarding they will consider how schools handle allegations and instances of sexual harassment and online sexual abuse, this will include checking policies that make it clear that it is not acceptable and appropriate sanctions are in place. Inspectors expect schools to assume that it happens here and that there is in place a whole school approach to address them. Where schools do not have adequate processes in place it is likely that safeguarding will be considered ineffective and this will impact on the leadership and management judgement. This does not mean that if the school do not have any reports that safeguarding will be considered ineffective but Ofsted will want to see that preventative measures are in place, that children know what is appropriate and not appropriate behaviour, a strong RSE/PHSE curriculum being delivered and being delivered well and that they have the courage and confidence to speak with staff should it occur.