The National Education Union (NEU) has warned that schools must be properly involved in developing new transgender guidance for England, as the government prepares to publish its long-awaited draft. The union said the ongoing debate had already increased transphobic bullying in some schools.
The NEU spokesperson said the promised guidance from Education Secretary Gillian Keegan was still yet to be seen, and urged the Department for Education, school leaders and unions to work together constructively. The guidance will be non-statutory and subject to a nine-week consultation, the spokesperson noted.
One anonymous teacher from a secondary school in northern England reported that media speculation about the guidance had fuelled transphobic bullying. She expressed reluctance to “out” pupils to parents over name or pronoun changes, stressing the importance of safeguarding the child.
Caroline Derbyshire, CEO of the Saffron academy trust, said school leaders hoped for “extremely clear and straightforward” guidance to manage conflicts between pupils and parents. She noted that every situation is different and that clear guidance can be a “life-saver” for school leaders.
Bayswater, a support group for parents of trans-identified adolescents, argued that children with complex mental health issues have been failed by adults viewing gender exclusively as a civil rights issue. They emphasised the need for guidance that addresses safeguarding and the implications of medicalisation.
The Department for Education confirmed that the upcoming guidance will help safeguard pupils and ensure parents are involved in decisions, following recommendations from the Cass Review. It will be published in due course.
