supports HTML5 videoTransgender awareness in early education is still being fought for by LGBTQ+ charities like Mermaids and Stonewall, but it’s yet to be implemented as a standard by government, besides anti-bullying policies.
Regarding trans and gender nonconforming students, a government briefing published in 2020 states that decisions on uniform, mixed sport activities, and availability of toilet and changing facilities will be made by schools themselves.The same report said that ‘all pupils should receive teaching on LGBT relationships during their school years’, and Ofsted inspectors will mark schools down if they fail to comply.
But this doesn’t specify the importance of teaching children to be kind to their trans classmates in the early years. And as for the compulsory education of teachers and school officials on this front, it’s tumbleweeds all the way.The gender-inclusive values of London’s proudly diverse Jenny Hammond Primary come praised as good practice by Ofsted, but one or two schools making this effort isn’t enough.It shouldn’t have to be a matter of choosing a ‘better’ school, assuming a child’s responsible adults accept their identity.
All trans kids need and deserve this acceptance, no matter where they go to learn. The way towards this is laying down the law against transphobia in schools.Anti-bullying policies aren’t cutting it.