A new report from Everyone’s Invited has revealed that pupils as young as five have experienced sexist name-calling, harassment, groping, and even sexual abuse in UK primary schools. The report names 1,664 schools in the UK, where pupils between age 5 and 11 have submitted anonymous testimonies of rape culture, and because no one has taught them any different, many children do not realise this behaviour is dangerous and damaging.
To prevent this, relationship education must start early. By the time children reach secondary school, damaging attitudes and behaviours can already be embedded. Young people are exposed to misogyny, pornography, and toxic messaging online at an increasingly young age, and without guidance and education they internalise harmful beliefs about relationships, consent, and gender roles.
Teaching primary school children about respect, boundaries, and healthy relationships equips them with the tools to recognise healthy and unhealthy behaviours, and ensures they understand consent, kindness, and equality before unhealthy behaviours take root. Doing this work earlier will embed the knowledge and make it easier for children to recognise when something doesn’t feel right.
LMK’s Primary School Transition Programme
At LMK, our Primary School Transition Programme supports young people in Year 6 to build the tools and confidence to form new, healthy relationships as they get ready to progress to secondary school, a pivotal point in their lives when they can be vulnerable to relationship abuse. Find out more about our Primary Transition Programme here.