More than half of children and young people in the UK feel bad about their bodies.

This isn’t just about confidence. It’s about belonging, safety, and inclusion - and it’s impacting how pupils engage with learning, with each other, and with school itself.

At The Body Happy Organisation, we see body respect as a we issue, not a me issue. It’s not just about individual self-esteem – it’s about the culture we create together. From the language we use in the classroom to the images on school walls, children are constantly learning what bodies are valued - and which are not.

That’s why we believe body respect belongs at the heart of education.

*Building classroom cultures of body respect with The Body Happy Schools Programme*

What Is Body Respect?

Body respect is an approach that supports all children and young people to celebrate, respect and accept ALL bodies – especially their own.

It’s not about promoting a particular type of body. It’s about helping young people:

Understand the systems and stereotypes that shape how they feel about bodies
Develop critical thinking, empathy and emotional literacy
Recognise and challenge discrimination, stigma and shame
Build positive relationships with their own body – and with others

Crucially, it’s not something that can be “taught” in a single PSHE lesson. Body respect is something we build into classroom culture. It’s woven through school life – from assemblies and tutor time to behaviour policy, SEND practice and safeguarding.

Why It Matters

By the end of primary school, appearance-based bullying is already one of the most common forms of bullying in the UK. Children who are racialised, disabled, higher-weight, gender diverse or growing up in poverty are more likely to face appearance-based stigma – and less likely to receive support.

These experiences often go unseen or unchallenged. But they have real consequences.

Negative body image is one of the earliest and most persistent risk factors for eating disorders, depression, self-harm and low attendance. Yet too often, we wait until crisis point to intervene.

We believe in doing things differently – by embedding prevention and equity into the way schools work.

The Body Happy Skills

Our programmes are built around four core Body Happy Skills, each mapped to educational outcomes and protective health behaviours:

1. Body Happy Literacy

Understanding what body respect is and why it matters.
→ Supports RSHE, Citizenship and PE curriculum; boosts emotional literacy and classroom engagement.

2. Body Happy Resilience

Building critical thinking and media literacy around body ideals, health messaging and digital content.
→ Strengthens mental health, supports online safety and empowers informed decision-making.

3. Body Happy Kindness

Practising body appreciation, positive self-talk and holistic health behaviours.
→ Linked to improved wellbeing, sleep, nutrition, movement and emotional regulation.

4. Body Happy Advocacy

Celebrating body diversity, challenging injustice and standing up for others.
→ Builds student leadership, reduces bullying, and supports inclusive school environments.

These aren’t just theoretical concepts. They’re practical, teachable skills – and when embedded across school life, they transform how children see themselves and each other.

The Impact on Learning

This work goes beyond PSHE. It touches everything from safeguarding and SEND to school meals, sports, and tutor time.

Here’s how embedding body respect supports core educational outcomes:

Attendance
Pupils who feel shame or fear around their bodies are more likely to miss school. Addressing this early removes a hidden barrier to attendance.
Attainment
If children feel excluded or unsafe in their bodies, they’re less likely to engage in lessons or contribute in class. A culture of respect helps unlock their potential.
Behaviour and Relationships
Language around appearance often drives bullying and low-level disruption. When students practise empathy and advocacy, peer dynamics change.
Mental Health
Body image is a key risk factor for poor mental health – but also one of the most overlooked. Embedding protective factors into school culture is essential prevention.
Equity
This is about educational justice. No child should be left out of learning or leadership because of their body.

What Body Respect Looks Like in Action

In our programme pilots, we worked with high–Pupil Premium secondary schools and a rural primary school to embed body respect across every layer of school life. That included:

CPD for staff
Workshops for students
Assemblies and displays
Peer advocacy and youth leadership
Support for families
Integration into RSHE and wider curriculum
Systems-level reflection on policy, practice and culture

In one primary school, students co-designed a group contract rooted in body respect and proposed a “bully box” to report appearance-based bullying anonymously. In another, a nervous peer advocate who nearly withdrew from an assembly ended up confidently co-leading it, cheered on by their classmates.

This isn’t just wellbeing work. It’s belonging, leadership, and systemic change – led by students, supported by staff, and embedded into the heart of school life.

The Bigger Picture

At a national level, we’re proud to be part of a growing conversation about what education could be. Our work aligns with Ofsted’s personal development framework, PSHE Association guidance, public health strategies, and campaigns like Our Wellbeing, Our Voice.

We’re also working in partnership with the Fair Education Alliance and the University of Lincoln, including a fully funded PhD to build the evidence base for our whole-school approach.

And we’re not stopping there.

We're currently developing a fully digital version of our programme to expand access and reduce inequalities – supporting schools with high pupil premium rates to access this work at a subsidised rate.

A Body Happy future

Just because poor body image is common, doesn’t mean it’s inevitable.
Just because shame is normalised, doesn’t mean it’s right.

Body respect gives us a different way forward – one rooted in celebration, equity and community.

And schools are the best place to begin.

Get in touch with us today to begin your journey and start building classroom cultures of body respect in your school: hello@bodyhappyorg.com

What Is Body Respect – and Why Does It Belong in Every School?