Tackling Misogyny in Schools: Why Independence is already ahead of the curve!
Recent government announcements mark a significant shift in how schools in England will respond to misogyny, online harm and harmful attitudes towards women and girls. As part of a multimillion-pound investment to tackle misogyny in schools, teachers will be empowered to intervene earlier and deliver targeted learning on respect, consent and healthy relationships.
For many schools, this raises urgent questions:
- What should be taught?
- How can sensitive topics be addressed safely and age-appropriately?
- Where can teachers find trusted, curriculum-ready resources?
At Independence Educational Publishers, these questions are not new. For over 35 years, we have supported schools with high-quality PSHE and RSE resources that respond to real-world issues affecting young people. The latest national focus on misogyny reinforces what educators have long recognised: these topics must be addressed early, consistently and thoughtfully.
Crucially, our existing resources already cover many of the areas now being prioritised across schools in England.
Misogyny and violence against women and girls (VAWG)
Misogyny in schools sits within a wider national focus on violence against women and girls (VAWG). In its manifesto, Labour committed to halving VAWG within a decade, highlighting education as a central part of prevention and cultural change.
This reflects growing recognition that harmful attitudes often develop early and are shaped by social, digital and cultural influences. Schools therefore play a critical role in helping young people understand respect, equality and healthy relationships before damaging patterns of behaviour become entrenched.
What teachers are seeing in classrooms
Evidence suggests misogynistic attitudes are already visible in many schools. A YouGov survey published in 2025 found that a significant proportion of teachers encounter misogynistic language and behaviour among boys across both primary and secondary settings. More than half of secondary school teachers surveyed reported that such attitudes are expressed openly and frequently in school environments (Phys.org, 2026).
These findings underline the importance of early, structured educational responses. Addressing misogyny cannot rely solely on behaviour management policies; it requires teaching that helps pupils explore relationships, challenge stereotypes and understand the real-world impact of their words and actions.
Online culture and social media influence
The digital world plays a powerful role in shaping young people’s beliefs about gender, power and identity. Social media influencers and online personalities increasingly influence how pupils interpret relationships and masculinity.
Recent media coverage has highlighted concerns that controversial figures such as Andrew Tate and similar influencers are contributing to the normalisation of misogynistic attitudes among young people (ITV News, 2025) Their content often promotes narrow or extreme ideas of success, control and status, which can be difficult for young audiences to critically assess without guidance.
As a result, schools face growing pressure to address interconnected issues such as:
- Online harassment and coercion
- Pornography and unrealistic portrayals of relationships
- Peer pressure and social status
- Image-based abuse and deepfake technology
- Stalking and controlling behaviours
These themes lie at the intersection of PSHE & RSE, digital literacy and safeguarding.
Cultural narratives and public debate
Popular culture plays a significant role in shaping public discussion. The Netflix drama Adolescence has prompted debate about misogyny, youth violence and wider social breakdown, engaging with issues such as gender-based violence, incel culture, mental health, radicalisation, knife crime and young people’s disengagement from family and society.
While the series raises important questions, it is essential to recognise that Adolescence is a work of fiction. Although partly inspired by concerns about youth knife crime in the UK, it offers a dramatised interpretation rather than a factual account.
Its impact lies in reflecting broader anxieties about young people’s wellbeing and the pressures they face. For schools, this underlines the importance of balanced, evidence-informed discussion that supports pupils in distinguishing between media narratives and real-life relationships, responsibilities and choices.
A curriculum response already in place
The renewed national focus on misogyny and violence against women and girls reflects priorities that Independence Educational Publishers has been addressing for some time. Our existing resources already cover the majority of topics now being prioritised nationally, including deepfakes, image-based abuse, online harassment and coercion, peer pressure, porn literacy - including understanding the difference between fantasy and real relationships - and stalking (see below for a list of titles).
This work will be extended further in the Autumn term with Volume 484: Masculinity, which will explore toxic masculinity alongside gender stereotypes and positive male identity.
These themes are supported through both our established print publications and the digital resource Issues Online, which hosts over 8,000 articles designed to support classroom discussion and independent learning.
This approach reflects a growing recognition that tackling misogyny requires not only challenging harmful behaviour but also supporting boys and young men to develop healthier and more respectful understandings of themselves and others.
Supporting schools with a curriculum-ready response
Schools are already navigating the impact of online culture, changing social attitudes and increasing expectations around consent, identity and respect. These challenges require thoughtful, evidence-informed educational responses.
Independence Educational Publishers supports schools with resources that address these issues in a structured and age-appropriate way. Our recommended titles provide comprehensive coverage of the key themes now being prioritised nationally:
- Vol. 409 Online Safety
- Vol. 424 Respectful Relationships
- Vol. 427 Sexism and Misogyny
- Vol. 431 Pornography
- Vol. 441 Domestic Abuse
- Vol. 459 Digital World
Together, these resources explore the interconnected issues of online behaviour, consent, influence and power, offering practical material for classroom discussion and reflection. They support schools in addressing porn literacy, online harm, coercion and masculinity in ways that are grounded in safeguarding, empathy and critical thinking rather than fear or sensationalism.
With trusted print publications and the flexible digital platform Issues Online, Independence continues to provide practical, relevant resources that help schools deliver confident and informed PSHE education as expectations evolve.
Schools can explore these recommended titles and the Issues Online platform for further guidance to support teaching on misogyny, respectful relationships and online safety. These resources also help students develop understanding and critical thinking around these issues.
Visit www.issuesonline.co.uk to begin exploring these resources. Or, click here to buy the new collection now.