BBFC partners with PSHE Association to launch new KS4/5 pornography resource

• BBFC launches new Key Stage 4 and 5 pornography resource during Education Week 

• Developed in partnership with the PSHE Association, the resource explores UK pornography regulation, technology and consent 

• Launch marked by joint BBFC-PSHE CPD training event for teachers in central London 

• Part of the BBFC's mission to protect children from potentially harmful content 

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has today launched a new teaching resource on pornography for Key Stage 4 and 5 students. The resource has been developed in partnership with the PSHE Association, a charity and official membership body that supports over 50,000 teachers and schools with lesson plans, training, guidance, and advice for PSHE education.

The free resource provides teacher guidance alongside two complete lesson packs, including plans, PowerPoints and videos.

• The first lesson, Pornography and regulation, examines the potential harms of pornography, the BBFC’s regulatory role, how offline pornography is currently regulated under UK law, as well as the evolving landscape of online regulation.

• The second lesson, Technology and consent, explores how digital technologies and online content can shape young people’s attitudes towards relationships and sex. It equips students with practical tools to understand consent online and strategies to protect themselves from harmful content.

The new resource, launched during the BBFC’s Education Week, comes just months after the Government published an Independent Pornography Review, which found that over 23% of young people received no education on pornography in school, and highlighted wide variation in teacher training and delivery. The Review also warned of the risks of misogyny and sexual violence being normalised and made the recommendation that external experts support teachers, alongside government guidance, in delivering lessons on healthy relationships, consent, and media literacy.

The launch also follows recent BBFC findings that one in three adult pornography users had been exposed to violent or abusive content online, with over half expressing concern about the levels of violence or abuse depicted.

As the UK’s statutory regulator of film and video content, the classification of offline pornographic content has been a key part of the BBFC’s role for decades. For many years, the BBFC has been increasingly concerned about the prevalence of violent and abusive pornography online that would be illegal to distribute offline. While the BBFC welcomes the new regulations in place to protect children from accessing pornography under the Online Safety Act, the fact still remains that some pornography remains harmful regardless of age.

The new teaching resource reflects the BBFC’s ongoing commitment to helping protect children and vulnerable adults from potentially harmful content, in order to provide young people with the knowledge, skills and tools to think critically about the content they consume in order to make informed, age-appropriate viewing decisions. 

Designed with teachers, the resource provides practical strategies for setting classroom ground rules, facilitating safe discussion, and enabling anonymous questions. It also signposts further support for both teachers and students and aligns with the Department for Education’s new statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) guidance.

To launch the resource, the BBFC and PSHE Association will host a Continued Professional Development (CPD) training session for teachers. Taking place in-person in central London, the session will cover: the Department for Education’s RSHE statutory requirements relating to pornography, the changing landscape of online pornographic content, access and regulation and how to deliver lessons safely and with confidence. The training session will conclude with a Q&A. 

Natasha Kaplinsky OBE, BBFC President, said: “We’re proud to launch this important new resource in partnership with the PSHE Association during BBFC Education Week. As the UK’s statutory regulator of film and video content, our mission to protect young people from potentially harmful content remains indefeasible. Young people are growing up in a digital world where pornography is only ever a click away, and schools face real pressure to navigate complex conversations around sex, consent and relationships.  

“Developed with teachers, for teachers, this resource supports the Department of Education's statutory RSHE guidance and responds to the Independent Pornography Review’s recommendations. By launching the new pornography resource covering topics such as regulation, technology and consent, we aim to give educators the tools and confidence they need to address pornography safely in the classroom and to help  young people make safe, informed viewing decisions.” 

Baroness Bertin, Lead Reviewer of the Independent Pornography Review, said: “In my report published earlier this year, I highlighted serious gaps in how the issue of online pornography is approached in schools, with too many young people receiving little or no education on the subject. This lack of consistency leaves children vulnerable to distorted and harmful messages about sex, consent and relationships. That’s why this resource, from the BBFC, is so important. It will provide teachers the confidence to address these uncomfortable topics to ensure young people get the balanced, evidence-based education they need.”

Jonathan Baggaley, CEO of PSHE Association, added: “We know that teaching about pornography can feel challenging for many teachers, yet it is one of the most important issues facing young people today. That’s why we’re proud to have worked with the BBFC to create a resource that is evidence-based, practical, and aligned with statutory RSHE guidance. These lessons will give teachers the confidence to tackle difficult conversations safely and allow students the space to think critically about online content, consent, and healthy relationships.