RSHE 2026: How Schools Can Address Bullying, Harassment and Exploitation — and Why A Step Too Far Works

At its core is a safeguarding message:

“Effective teaching will support prevention of harms by helping young people understand and identify when things are not right.”

This shifts the focus away from reacting to incidents and towards early identification, prevention and behaviour change. It also makes clear that harmful behaviour is not limited to extreme cases:

“Harmful sexual behaviour… includes all types of sexual harassment and sexual violence… and age-inappropriate sexual language.”

For schools, this means addressing the full spectrum — from everyday language and online behaviour through to more serious harm.

Addressing bullying, harassment and misogyny in practice

The guidance places responsibility on schools to ensure pupils can recognise and challenge harmful behaviours in all their forms.

“Effective teaching will support prevention of harms by helping young people understand and identify when things are not right.”

This includes:

• bullying and cyberbullying
• harassment and harmful “banter”
• misogyny and sexist behaviour
• homophobic and hate-related bullying

Where A Step Too Far fits

Loudmouth’s A Step Too Far programme is designed specifically to meet this need. It looks at the work that will already have been done in Keys Stages 1 and 2 on bullying and explores these in real life contexts. It allows students to discuss more mature aspects of bullying. The programme covers anti-social behaviour, resilience, sextortion and online safety, homophobic and sexual/sexist bullying and helps young people to spot and prevent bullying and explore strategies to protect their mental wellbeing.

Through relatable drama and discussion, it brings these issues to life — helping pupils recognise behaviours they might otherwise dismiss or normalise.

Tackling exploitation and online harm

The guidance also highlights the importance of helping pupils understand risk in online environments and recognise unsafe situations:

“Effective teaching will support prevention of harms by helping young people understand and identify when things are not right.”

This includes issues such as coercion, exploitation and online abuse.

How A Step Too Far supports this

The programme explicitly covers “sextortion and online safety,” giving pupils the knowledge and confidence to recognise risk and take action.

It also ensures students “learn where to get support if they or anyone they know if being bullied,” reinforcing clear safeguarding pathways.

Moving from awareness to action

The guidance makes clear that RSHE should equip pupils with practical skills:

“Children and young people need knowledge and skills… to make informed and ethical decisions about their… relationships.”

This is about more than awareness — it’s about changing behaviour.

Proven impact in schools

A Step Too Far is designed to deliver exactly that. Impact data shows:

• “84% of students rated their knowledge of bullying as good or excellent… a rise from 53% before the session.”
• “66% of pupils stated that as a result of the ‘A Step Too Far’ session they would act differently in the future.”
• “After the session 85% of pupils could name 3 places to go to for help and support if they did not feel safe.”

And crucially, pupils themselves highlight why it works:

“The scenarios are relatable so it could help the people in the situation.”

Supporting schools to meet RSHE expectations

The 2026 guidance is clear about the role of schools: prevention, early identification and safeguarding must be embedded across RSHE.

“Effective teaching will support prevention of harms…”

A Step Too Far supports schools to meet these expectations by:

• addressing a wide range of harmful behaviours, including bullying, harassment and hate-related abuse
• exploring real-life scenarios pupils recognise
• building confidence to act, challenge and seek help
• reinforcing clear safeguarding pathways

Conclusion

The direction of RSHE is clear: schools must go beyond awareness and actively prevent harm. “Effective teaching will support prevention of harms by helping young people understand and identify when things are not right.”

Loudmouth’s A Step Too Far programme provides a proven, engaging and impactful way to do exactly that — helping schools not only meet statutory guidance, but create safer, more respectful environments for all pupils.

To find out more contact us on 0121 446 4880 or email enquiry@loudmouth.co.uk