How to take part

ESAS is designed as a whole school approach; a series of separate parts which all contribute to a holistic approach. ESAS enables schools to sustainably embed preventative measures across their systems, culture and ethos using the following tools:

• A dashboard for senior leaders to manage and oversee progress
• Template information for communicating with parents, carers and young people
• Self-assessment materials for use with staff and students to identify the school’s priorities
• Materials to guide and facilitate an ‘Action Group’ made up of students and staff to tackle the school’s priorities
• Links to teaching resources about gender-based violence and gender equality
• An e-learning module for staff and information about how to access local training
• Materials to help schools embed gender-based violence prevention into policies
• Monitoring and evaluation tools

The ESAS approach is about complementing good work, not replacing it; any other work schools are doing that takes a gendered analysis to the prevention of gender-based violence all contributes to a whole school approach. You can read more about other key interventions and resources to tackle gender-based violence and promote gender equality here.

Schools can decide their own timescales and pace for carrying out ESAS activities, however our learning from the pilot is that momentum is key to impact and success.

We suggest scheduling the main activities to take place over one to two years – though this will depend on schools’ capacity and other priority areas of work. It is of course better to take a gradual and sustained approach, monitoring and reflecting on the impact of your activities – than to try to complete everything as quickly as possible.

And the impact is ultimately about the change made to your school – to young people’s and staff’s knowledge and attitudes, to the prevalence of sexism and harmful gender norms, to the support given to young people affected by gender-based violence – and ultimately to levels of gendered violence – rather than how many activities have been completed.

We therefore recommend that schools engage with ESAS as holistically as possible. To do so requires a commitment from the Senior Leadership Team to:

• Plan how the intervention can best be integrated into the life of the school
• Motivate staff and students
• Celebrate the work of the young people and staff involved in the intervention
• Disseminate information and delegate tasks
• Schedule ESAS activities
• Engage with parents and carers

Whilst a holistic approach is recommended, schools can of course choose to take a lighter-touch approach, drawing down whichever tools they wish without undertaking all activities.