Staff capacity and professional development

Awareness raising and training/upskilling on how to teach and respond to the issue can be in person or virtual, short or long (resource list below).

Here are some topics you could cover:

- Recognising and responding to misogyny and gender-based harm

- Unconscious bias, how gender norms show up and their effects

- Language and gender - how the language we use impart expectations and bias

- Safeguarding - misogyny as a risk factor

Training should include all teachers and staff but prioritisation could start with safeguarding leads and pastoral staff

List of organisations providing teacher training services

Provide opportunities for members of staff how are keen to take a stronger role, or those seeking professional development opportunities. Some examples:

- Creating a staff anti-misogyny champion or link role.

- Leadership opportunities / gender champion training and to drive the programme

- Create a Trainer of Trainers program to roll out trainings in the school or between local schools

Don't keep trainings to one-off events, continuous opportunities are needed to increase familiarity and easy with content through:

- Discussion in staff meetings / standing item in the agenda

- Sharing ideas between staff on discuss sexism in age-appropriate ways.

Resources:

Let Toys Be Toys - practical tips on challenging gender stereotypes in the classroom

UK Feminista - Tips for primary school teachers

Life Lessons - Online Safeguarding for Teachers: Misogyny, Harm & Bystander Action (guidance and free resources)

Focuses on strengthening staff capacity and confidence to understand, identify, and respond to misogyny and gender-based harm through ongoing professional development and awareness-raising. It involves building shared knowledge across the workforce, supported by designated roles, leadership opportunities, and sustained engagement models.