New teaching resources to tackle classroom misogyny
Posted on Thursday 24 September 2026
Developed by the Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Association and in collaboration with researchers from the University of York, the new resource includes free lesson plans, a podcast episode, and an accompanying on-demand training course.
Teachers can use the free lesson pack to help educate key stage 3-4 students on the impact of misogyny, why misogynistic ideas are inaccurate, and ways to safely challenge and limit the spread of misogynistic misconceptions, beliefs and attitudes.
Since launching in June, the lesson materials have been downloaded over 1000 times and are expected to reach over 300,000 pupils in the coming months.
Statutory guidance
The launch of the resource comes as schools begin to implement the updated statutory Relationship, Sex, and Health Education (RSHE) guidance, which places a greater emphasis on addressing harmful online narratives while reinforcing that the majority of boys and young men treat girls and young women with respect.
The lesson pack, supported by funding from the European Research Council and titled 'Challenging the narrative: Thinking critically about misogyny', draws directly on academic research into social learning, prejudice reduction, and attitude change.
To coincide with the lesson rollout, a new podcast episode, produced by the PSHE Association and featuring Professor Harriet Over, from University of York’s Department of Psychology, has also been made available — addressing the history and economic incentives driving the popularity of misogynistic content online.
Positive relationships
Professor Over said: "These lessons are based on decades of psychological research into how to encourage positive relations between children, as well as on extensive conversations with teachers and young people.
“There are reasons to be optimistic for the future, as new approaches and interventions have shown some successful results, but it takes educators, families and whole communities to come together to support young people on how to develop healthy relationships and mutual respect.
“It is also important that we have feedback from teachers on our resources so that we can continue to focus on the right areas, improve our understanding, and offer the best guidance we can.”
Key elements of the new package include a KS3-4 lesson pack focusing on critical thinking and online safety, a podcast exploring the business models behind online radicalisation, and a self-led on-demand course to boost teacher confidence in handling sensitive classroom discussions.
For more information, and to download the free lessons, schools can visit https://pshe-association.org.uk/challenging-the-narrative
