Sexual Harassment and Violence

In seeking to keep young people safe, we work to ensure that our students, as well as their parents and carers, are alert to the dangers and know where they can access help and support if needed.

Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence can happen to any young person, from any background, and can happen anywhere, including Somerset.

Sexual Harassment is any unwanted, uninvited, or unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature that violates your dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, or offensive environment. It is entirely subjective to how the recipient experiences the behaviour, and it is never the victim's fault.

Sexual harassment can occur in person, over the phone, or online, and takes many different forms:

💬 Verbal

  • Suggestive remarks, sexual comments, or "banter".

  • Intrusive questions or comments about your sex life, sexual history, or preferences.

  • Unwanted sexual advances, flirting, or repeatedly asking someone out.

  • Sexual jokes, innuendos, or name-calling.

👁️ Visual & Non-Verbal

  • Suggestive looks, leering, or intrusive staring.

  • Sexual gestures or inappropriate noises (e.g., wolf-whistling).

  • Displaying, sharing, or forwarding sexually explicit pictures, posters, or materials.

  • Sending unwelcome explicit emails or text messages.

✋ Physical

  • Unwanted touching, brushing up against someone, hugging, kissing, or massaging.

  • Physical coercion, such as demanding sexual favours in return for promises.

  • Severe forms such as groping, upskirting, sexual assault, and rape.

At Orchard Grove, explaining consent to a child starts with teaching bodily autonomy—the idea that their body belongs to them. We frame it using simple, everyday concepts so they understand it is about mutual respect, personal space, and clear communication.

Use these age-appropriate strategies to guide the conversation following the NSPCC PANTS approach:

Talk PANTS: Conversation to help keep children safe | NSPCC

P - Privates are private.

A - Always remember your body belongs to you.

N - No means no.

T - Talk about things that upset you.

S - Speak up, someone can help.

Other approaches we follow:

  • The "Ask First" rule: Teach them to ask before playing with someone else’s toy or giving a friend a hug.

  • Alternatives to hugs: Explain that people have different comfort levels. If a relative wants a hug, give the child alternatives like blowing a kiss or giving a high-five.

  • Safe vs. unsafe touches: Reassure them that necessary touches (like a doctor checking them or parents buckling a seatbelt) are to keep them safe, but a "bad touch" makes them feel weird, scared, or uncomfortable in their tummy.

  • The borrow analogy: Compare consent to borrowing personal items. You wouldn't take a friend's bike without asking first, and you have to ask before touching someone else.

  • Check the reaction: Teach them to read cues. If they ask for a hug and the other person looks nervous, stiff, or hesitant, that is not an enthusiastic "yes".

  • Changing their mind: Explain that consent is not a one-time thing. If they agree to a game but stop enjoying it, they are allowed to change their mind and stop.

  • Reiterate the "Trusted Adult" Rule: Make it very clear that if anyone ignores their boundaries, touches them in a way that makes them uncomfortable, or tells them to keep secrets, they can always say "no" and go to a safe adult (like a parent or teacher) to get help.

🌍 Where to Get Help

For further reading on navigating these conversations as your child grows, check out: