Sexual harassment training for school staff
Make sure your staff know what sexual harassment is, what the law says and how to respond to an incident, so you can make your school a safe, welcoming place for everyone.
Who it's for
All school staff
Created with
WomenEd, UK Feminista
By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
- Explain what sexual harassment is and what the law says
- Identify what behaviours constitute sexual harassment
- Take appropriate steps if you witness or experience sexual harassment
- Contribute to a culture where everyone feels safe
We want our training to be a positive experience for all learners. If you have any access needs (for example, a visual impairment or dyslexia), please let us know to see how we can help by contacting [email protected].
We'd love to hear your feedback
If you've completed this course, we'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Our feedback form takes about 3 to 5 minutes to complete.
Sources
With thanks to the following experts for their collaboration on this course:
- Hilary Jenkins-Baldock is a schools programme coordinator for UK Feminista. She oversees their work with schools, supporting them to take a whole-school approach to sexism and sexual harassment, and develop good practice. She was also a teacher for 20 years
- Vivienne Porritt is co-founder, trustee and strategic leader of WomenEd, a global charity which empowers aspiring and existing women leaders in education. Vivienne supports school and trust leaders with vision, strategy, professional learning and development, impact evaluation and DEIJ (diversity, equity, inclusion and justice)
- FusionHR. The Key is a minority investor in FusionHR
We also used and adapted material from the following sources in this course:
- Equality Act 2010, www.legislation.gov.uk
- Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, www.legislation.gov.uk
- Keeping children safe in education 2024, GOV.UK - Department for Education
- Sexual harassment and harassment at work: technical guidance, Equality and Human Rights Commission (published 30 January 2020, last updated 26 September 2024)
- What sexual harassment is, Acas
- Research on support staff experiences, UK Feminista
- UK Feminista and Unison survey highlights school support staff experiences of sexual harassment and sexism, UK Feminista
Additional resources on sexual harassment
Guidance, model policies and further training to support staff
Protecting staff from sexual harassment: guidance and risk assessment
From 26 October 2024, employers will have a legal duty to protect staff from sexual harassment. Use our resources to help you take reasonable steps towards preventing this unwanted behaviour.
Talking to pupils about sexism, sexual harassment and assault
It can be tricky to talk to pupils about sensitive topics. Use our guidance to set up discussion groups and get honest reflections from your pupils – it’s one step towards tackling sexism and sexual harassment in your school.
Dignity at work: model policy
Use our model policy to help you deal with incidents of workplace harassment, bullying and victimisation confidently and consistently, so you can offer your staff the support they need.
Staff code of conduct: model and examples
Download and adapt our model staff code of conduct, developed with NAHT and approved by a law firm. See examples of codes of conduct from primary, secondary and special schools, and from trusts.
How we can tackle sexism and sexual harassment in our school: staff briefing
Use our briefing to train staff in recognising and responding to incidents of sexism and sexual harassment among pupils.