Why September matters for RSHE

From 1 September 2026, schools in England must deliver the Department for Education’s revised statutory RSHE guidance. The updated guidance reflects many of the challenges children and young people are facing today, including online harms, unhealthy relationships, sexual harassment, misogyny, coercion and the influence of pornography and social media.

This makes September 2026 a particularly significant moment. However, good RSHE is about much more than meeting new requirements.

Setting the tone from the beginning

The start of the school year gives schools an important opportunity to establish expectations about relationships and behaviour.

What does respect look like in our school? What behaviour is unacceptable? What should pupils do if something worries them? Who can they talk to, and what will happen if they ask for help?

Introducing these messages early helps pupils understand that respect, inclusion and safety are part of the school’s culture, not simply subjects that appear in an occasional lesson.

It also helps create a shared language that staff and pupils can return to throughout the year.

Supporting the move to secondary school

The transition to Year 7 is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. Young people are navigating a larger environment, new friendship groups, greater independence and changing social pressures.

For some, it may also be the point when they receive their first phone, start using new social media platforms or experience increased pressure to fit in.

This makes Year 7 an important time to explore subjects such as healthy friendships, boundaries, online behaviour, peer pressure, bullying and where to find support. Giving young people these messages early can help them recognise concerns before situations become more serious.

It also sends a clear message:

You have the right to feel safe here, and there are people who will listen if you need help.

Building culture, not just delivering content

The revised guidance is a useful prompt for schools to review what they teach, when they teach it and how different subjects connect.

But RSHE is most effective when it is supported by the wider life of the school.

A lesson about respectful relationships will have limited impact if harmful language is dismissed as banter elsewhere. Teaching pupils how to seek help needs to be backed up by trusted adults who feel confident responding. Work on sexual harassment, misogyny and bullying needs to connect with the school’s behaviour, safeguarding and pastoral systems.

Starting these conversations in September allows schools to establish a consistent approach before patterns of behaviour become embedded.

Making difficult subjects easier to discuss

Sensitive topics can be difficult for both pupils and staff to explore. Young people may worry about saying the wrong thing, revealing too much or being judged by their peers.

Drama can provide a safe distance. Pupils can explore what is happening to a character, recognise warning signs and consider different choices without having to talk directly about their own experiences.

The discussion that follows can then connect the story to practical learning. What could the character do next? Who could help? How might a friend respond safely?

This makes complex safeguarding messages more relatable, memorable and easier to act upon.

Start as you mean to go on

September does not need to contain every RSHE topic. High-quality RSHE should be planned, age appropriate and revisited throughout a pupil’s time at school.

What September can do is establish the foundations.

It can show pupils that relationships matter, harmful behaviour will be challenged and asking for help is always encouraged. It can give new Year 7 pupils a safer and more confident start. Most importantly, it can make RSHE part of the school’s culture from the very beginning of the year.

Loudmouth’s theatre-in-education programmes help schools bring safeguarding and RSHE topics to life through carefully researched drama, character discussion and interactive workshops.

To find out how Loudmouth can support your school in 2026/27, contact us on 0121 446 4880 or email enquiry@loudmouth.co.uk