Inclusive Classrooms

Classrooms and communities are diverse places.

Schools are places where people of different races, families, ethnicities, faiths, and gender identities come together.

Understanding, discussing, and valuing differences at school is essential for creating healthy learning environments.

Educators who are new to RSE sometimes worry about the parental and community response to teaching about RSE and health education topics. These concerns have often been further exacerbated by the media in relation to SEN children and young people, teaching within Faith schools and LGBT.

Because of this, some teachers and educators have explained how they feel nervous about their role in creating inclusive classrooms and resources.

The Equalities Act 2010

Schools have a legal duty, under the Equality Act 2010, not to discriminate against pupils who are (or are perceived to be) LGBT, and who have LGBT parents.

Faith schools are able to include their own faiths perspectives alongside information shared as part of RSE. There are many faith schools already delivering great and inclusive RSE.

SEN children and young people must also receive good quality RSE and health education. And many schools, both SEN and mainstream have developed resources that enable their students to feel included.

Further Reading: This guidance explains Ofsted’s approach on inspection and evaluating how schools go about meeting their duties: Inspection of the Protected Characteristics Including RSHE Teaching

Your Task

Create a presentation for Pride Month which could be used in an assembly with children and young people.

Pride Month takes place from 1st – 30th June, and people across the world come together to celebrate the LGBT members of our communities.

Pride month is a great opportunity for schools to explore the history of the LGBT rights movement, and to celebrate diversity and difference in the whole school community.

Links to the RSHE curriculum:

• That there are different types of committed, stable relationships.

• How stereotypes, in particular stereotypes based on sex, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability, can cause damage (e.g., how they might normalise non-consensual behaviour or encourage prejudice).

• The legal rights and responsibilities regarding equality (particularly with reference to the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010) and that everyone is unique and equal.

Young people who identify as LGBTQIA + are more likely to experience mental health issues, so schools visibly supporting LGBTQIA + families can help children and their families feel safe. Here’s the link to the Stonewall Schools Report – the_school_report_2017.pdf (stonewall.org.uk)

Below are a number of resources that may be helpful:

Stonewall

Resources for LGBTQIA + inclusive PSHE/RSHE and a whole school approach: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/category/education-resources

Different families home learning packs for primary, secondary and SEND

The LGBT ABC

This leaflet produced by Brook, provides easily accessible definitions for commonly encountered words and phrases about sexuality and gender identity. It is ideal to handout during LGBTQIA + inclusive RSE sessions: The LGBT ABC

Childline – webpages for young people

Information for young people about identity and self-esteem:

Nobody is Normal – how to cope if you feel different

Don’t Forget to Upload your completed Pride Month Presentation