Government response on pupil sexual harassment draws criticism

The women and equalities select committee published a damning report in September highlighting the scale of the problem, including evidence showing that 59 per cent of 13- to 21-year-olds had experienced sexual harassment at school or college in the last year.

But in its response to the report, the DfE has rejected a number of the committee's key recommendations, including legally requiring schools to tackle the problem and for Ofsted to prioritise how well schools are monitoring incidents.

Instead, the government said it will keep a voluntary system and "support schools to produce their codes of practice, building our evidence base and setting up an advisory group". This group will review existing guidance around behaviour and bullying in schools, the response adds. 

It also said there are no plans for specific training on sexual harassment and violence for Ofsted inspectors, nor to introduce "prescribed criteria" around monitoring.

Making sex and relationships education (SRE) a compulsory subject in all schools was another recommendation rejected by ministers.

SRE is already compulsory in maintained secondary schools, but the government's response reiterates that it has no intention of extending that to the primary sector, free schools or academies.

The committee said the government response failed to "do enough to ensure schools tackle this serious problem". It intends to question Education Secretary Justine Greening on the issue in January.

Committee chair Maria Miller MP added: "The scale of the problem of sexual harassment in schools demands a robust and urgent response from those who take responsibility for our children's safety when they are at school."

She said the committee would "continue to scrutinise action in this area" with a follow up inquiry set to take evidence next summer.

Teaching unions and young people's groups also criticised the response.

Girlguiding UK's Advocate panel of 14- to 25-year-olds said ministers have "missed a crucial opportunity to make schools safer for all young people".

The panel was pleased the government had backed a committee recommendation for "a whole-school approach" to tackling the issue, but added: "We think expecting individual schools to put their own policies in place seriously undermines this."

Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, criticised the decision not to extend compulsory SRE across all schools.

Another committee recommendation for sexual harassment and sexual violence prevention to be included in initial teacher training was also rejected on the basis that professional development is the responsibility of individual schools.
 
Rosamund McNeil, head of education and equal opportunities at the National Union of Teachers, said the government's assertion that it was "creating the conditions for high quality professional development to thrive in schools" is "simply not true", adding that training opportunities had reduced, "particularly those associated with non-core subjects".

A DfE spokeswoman said: "We think the right laws are in place to enable teachers to take swift action to deal with this sort of behaviour, but we will work with schools on whether further support is needed for them to tackle it and promote a culture of tolerance in the classroom."