Select Committee · Women and Equalities Committee

Attitudes towards women and girls in educational settings

Status: Closed Opened: 9 Jun 2022 Closed: 28 May 2024 8 recommendations 6 conclusions 1 report

An inquiry to scrutinise how attitudes in educational settings, from early years to university, affect women and girls throughout their lives, drawing on an existing body of evidence including academic papers, reports and submissions to other Select Committee inquiries, including our predecessor Committee. This inquiry is part of the committee’s work into Preventing Violence Against … Show more

Reports

1 report

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Fifth Report - Attitudes towards women and girls in educati…	HC 331	5 Jul 2023	14	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items

2 Recommendation Fifth Report - Attitudes towards women … Accepted in Part

Undertake further thematic review of safeguarding policies and investigate abuse against female staff.

Ofsted did not act quickly enough in undertaking its review in 2021, however we welcome it and their commitment to strengthen requirements for inspectors to assess how schools address sexual harassment and abuse. Should Ofsted inspectors find a lack of progress has been made in tackling peer-on-peer abuse in schools, … Read more

Government response AI summary

Ofsted states it has already updated handbooks and routinely monitors inspection practice to assess how schools address sexual harassment, and will continue to monitor and consider further changes if concerns arise. However, it does not commit to a further thematic review or investigating abuse against …

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Government Equalities Office

7 Recommendation Fifth Report - Attitudes towards women … Accepted in Part

Conduct evidence-led RSHE review, engaging stakeholders, assessing curriculum gaps and needs.

The Government’s review of RSHE must be evidence-led. The review team should engage with children, teachers, parents and specialist VAWG organisations to ensure that any developments in policy support effectively the Government’s commitment to tackling sexual harassment and violence in schools and colleges. The review should include an assessment of … Read more

Government response AI summary

The government confirms a review of RSHE statutory guidance is underway, involving an expert panel and a full public consultation. Following the guidance update, the Department will update teacher training modules and assess further support needed.

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Government Equalities Office

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions

Date	Witnesses
12 Oct 2022	Andrea Jenkyns MP · Department for Education, Andrew Cook · Ofsted, Emma Davies · Department for Education, Kate Dixon · Department for Education, Kelly Tolhurst MP · Department for Education, Susan Lapworth · Office for Students, Yvette Stanley · Ofsted	View ↗
21 Sep 2022	Session	View ↗
7 Sep 2022	Ammaarah Faisal · Our Streets Now, Dr Melanie McCarry · University of Strathclyde, Dr Rachel Fenton · University of Exeter Law School, John Edmonds, Professor Cara Aitchison, Richie Benson · Beyond Equality	View ↗
20 Jul 2022	Ammaarah Faisal · Our Streets Now, Dr Anni Donaldson · University of Strathclyde, Dr Rachel Fenton · University of Exeter Law School, John Edmonds, Professor Steve West · Universities UK, Richie Benson · Beyond Equality	View ↗
28 Jun 2022	Dr Yuwei XU · University of Nottingham, UK, Jenny Barksfield · PSHE Association, Keziah Featherstone · Q3 Academy Tipton, Professor Nicky Stanley · University of Central Lancashire, Soma Sara · Everyone's Invited, Susie McDonald · Tender Arts & Education	View ↗

Who gave evidence

21 witnesses

Witness	Organisation	Sessions
Ammaarah Faisal · Student Ambassador and Head of Research for Highe…	Our Streets Now	2
Dr Rachel Fenton · Associate Professor	University of Exeter Law School	2
John Edmonds	—	2
Richie Benson · Universities Project Lead	Beyond Equality	2
Andrea Jenkyns MP · Minister for Skills	Department for Education	1
Andrew Cook · Her Majesty's Inspector and Regional Director for…	Ofsted	1
Dr Anni Donaldson · Honorary Research Fellow	University of Strathclyde	1
Dr Melanie McCarry · Senior Lecturer of School of Social Work & Social…	University of Strathclyde	1
Dr Yuwei XU · Assistant Professor in Education and Teacher Deve…	University of Nottingham, UK	1
Emma Davies · Deputy Director in the Higher Education Quality, …	Department for Education	1
Jenny Barksfield · Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Education	PSHE Association	1
Kate Dixon · Director of Pupil Wellbeing and Safety	Department for Education	1
Kelly Tolhurst MP · Minister for Schools and Childhood	Department for Education	1
Keziah Featherstone · Headteacher	Q3 Academy Tipton	1
Professor Cara Aitchison	—	1
Professor Nicky Stanley · Professor of Social Work	University of Central Lancashire	1
Professor Steve West · Professor	Universities UK	1
Soma Sara · Founder and CEO	Everyone's Invited	1
Susan Lapworth · Chief Executive	Office for Students	1
Susie McDonald · Chief Executive	Tender Arts & Education	1
Yvette Stanley · National Director for Regulation and Social Care	Ofsted	1

Correspondence

1 letter

Date	Direction	Title
22 Mar 2023	To cttee	Letter from the Office for Students relating to the attitudes towards women and…