Masculinity and Misogyny in Schools

Baroness Butler-Sloss Excerpts

Wednesday 15th April 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

The noble Lord makes an important point. This needs to be tackled outside school, as well as inside. That is why the DfE has worked jointly with DSIT to design, test and launch a website for parents of all-age children to help them keep their children safe online. We are currently developing misogyny-specific content for that site that will give parents information and tools to spot warning signs and hold open conversations, and will direct them to further support that will link with the Home Office’s Enough campaign, about which we will be saying more soon.

[Baroness Butler-Sloss (CB)]

My Lords, will the Government start with children in primary school?

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

The new RSHE guidance that we published and the curriculum are clear that there is important work to be done at key stage 2 to support children to develop their ideas and approach to healthy relationships. That is a really important baseline from which to talk more explicitly later in their school life about misogyny and how it is tackled.