1st Special Report - Sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools: Government response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2016–17

This is the government's response, published 29 November 2016.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government "firmly support[s]" the committee's proposal for a whole school approach to sexual harassment and sexual violence, but proposes a school-based approach of codes of practice, research and an advisory group rather than a new statutory duty.

• It believes that creating an additional duty for all schools to develop a whole school approach "will not ensure the system-wide change" sought, and proposes supporting schools to produce their own codes of practice instead.
• It will set up an advisory group of sector specialists to review the DfE's Keeping Children Safe in Education and behaviour and bullying guidance, and says it will convene the group "at the earliest opportunity".
• On data, it does "not, however, at this stage propose to require all schools to collect data for national collation and comparison", preferring schools to rely on their own professional judgement.
• It does not plan a specific sector fund, and on PSHE and SRE says the case for further action is "actively under review" without committing to make them statutory.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error