Embedding Respectful Relationships Education in schools

When RRE is embedded as a holistic, evidence-based strategy in schools, it can drive positive change across the school culture and environment. This promotes equality, safety and inclusion for students, staff and the wider community.

Forms of gendered norms, attitudes and behaviours can be prevalent in school settings. Gendered bullying and discrimination, sexual harassment and technology-facilitated abuse, including image-based abuse, are some of the most common forms of norms, attitudes and behaviours that result in gender-based violence in schools. RRE, especially when applied as a whole school approach, is a foundational strategy for ending gendered bullying, discrimination, sexual harassment and technology-facilitated abuse in schools.

Whole-school approach

A whole-school approach means RRE is embedded across all aspects of school life:

• leadership
• curriculum
• wellbeing programs
• community partnerships.

Staff, students and families can work together to create a respectful, supportive school culture. NSW public schools can integrate RRE principles into daily routines, curriculum, policies and practices, effectively making respectful relationships a shared priority.

Putting Respectful Relationships Education into practice

In practice, schools embed RRE through:

• intentionally cultivating environments where values such as respect, empathy and collaboration are explicit and practised daily. School culture shapes how students and staff interact, learn and participate every day
• creating safe, supportive and inclusive environments, with clear policies against bullying, racism, discrimination and harassment
• valuing and celebrating diverse student backgrounds
• learning activities which help students recognise and celebrate similarities and differences, fostering connection and belonging
• programs which support student wellbeing by equipping them with strategies for conflict resolution, online safety and positive peer interactions
• curriculum and learning which empowers young people to develop key skills and attitudes for healthy relationships, ethical decision-making, empathy and resilience
• engaging parents and carers to promote consistency between school values and home environments where possible.