Reflections from our third trailblazer meeting
Our third Reimagining RSE trailblazer meeting brought together teachers, trainers and partner organisations working at the forefront of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) policy and practice. The discussion was vibrant, hopeful and deeply grounded in the realities of schools’ work with young people.
The session marked an important moment in our journey, constituting a space to take stock of what we’ve achieved together, share updates and plan our next steps as the safe uncertainty framework continues to grow in reach and relevance.
Sharing progress: From theory to practice
We were delighted to share news that our book, Reimagining Relationships and Sex Education: A Safe Uncertainty Approach to Adolescent Intimacies, is now in press and due for publication in early November. Trailblazers responded enthusiastically, offering to provide endorsements, reviews and early reflections once it becomes available.
We also discussed reactions to our emerging suite of resources – including the Not-a-Lesson-Plans and Responding to Difficult Questions packs – which are designed to build educator confidence and support flexible, values-based practice. Trailblazers confirmed their intention to use and adapt these tools in diverse settings, emphasising their potential to make safe uncertainty tangible in classrooms and staff development.
We’ve made it clear that we want these materials to be living resources: adaptable, reflective, and co-developed. We warmly encourage trailblazers and partners to make them their own – while referencing the Safe Uncertainty framework and Reimagining RSE website – and to share their insights as they experiment and innovate.
Staying ahead of the curve
With new statutory RSE guidance released and schools required to comply by 2026/27, trailblazers reflected on the current challenges and opportunities in the field. Many noted the varied levels of teacher confidence and the importance of training that helps educators to hold uncertainty rather than avoid it.
This aligns closely with our recent practitioner conference engagements, where safe uncertainty has been resonating strongly as a practical posture for educators navigating complex topics. Our next phase of work will expand on this through new educator resources, reflective training activities and pedagogical tools to support critical dialogue with students.
One especially rich discussion among our trailblazers centred on what safe uncertainty spaces mean for how we handle debate and discussion in RSE. Trailblazers noted that RSE is often presented as a forum for ‘debate’, which potentially risks recreating the divisive, tribal modes of discourse common in public debate where sensitive issues are treated as contentious and opposing sides are set up to ‘win’ or ‘lose.’ We reflected instead on the value of creating spaces of dialogue and curiosity, where learners explore perspectives and emotions without the pressure of performance or persuasion. Safe uncertainty, in this sense, is about cultivating understanding, reflection and learning rather than victory, and this idea will guide future work on classroom facilitation and educator training.
You can see our response to the new RSE guidance here.
A dynamic and responsive platform
Perhaps the most exciting development was our shared vision for the Reimagining RSE platform as a dynamic and evolving space. Rather than a static repository of materials, it will continue to respond to emerging issues – from digital intimacy and gender relations to consent, family life and wellbeing – always framed through the lens of safe uncertainty. You can see examples here of how we’ve already developed and applied safe uncertainty to educating young people about image-based sexual abuse and pornography, as well as a range of other topics on our blog page.
We invite our trailblazers, and the wider community, to keep bringing forward the new and evolving questions they encounter in schools and communities. These insights will help us create timely guidance, case studies and reflective tools that remain grounded in lived realities while challenging the culture of ‘safe certainty’ that can stifle meaningful learning.
Expanding our reach
We’re thrilled to be developing several new collaborations, including:
- Supporting parents and families to engage with safe uncertainty, offering guidance both for home life and for schools working with parents.
- A partnership with a creative organisation developing media-based classroom resources aligned with our approach.
- International collaboration with colleagues in Australia exploring how Safe Uncertainty can inform RSE and educator development in their context.
These partnerships are extending safe uncertainty across policy, education and family life, connecting research, practice and community insight in new ways.
Join the movement
We continue to be inspired by the commitment, generosity and critical engagement of our trailblazers. Together, we’re not just Reimagining RSE – we’re building a community of reflective practitioners who are reshaping how education responds to uncertainty, complexity and care.
If you’re interested in getting involved – whether by piloting resources, contributing to policy engagement or joining as a formal partner – we’d love to hear from you.
Visit Reimagining RSE and follow us on LinkedIn @ReimaginingRSE to learn more and stay up to date with upcoming opportunities, resources and events.