Ofsted ‘will not downgrade’ primary schools that do not teach LGBT lessons
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Primary schools that do not teach pupils about same-sex relationships as part of mandatory relationships and sex education (RSE) will not be downgraded by Ofsted, new guidance reveals.
The inspectorate’s guidance on Inspecting teaching of the protected characteristics in schools, published on Friday, states that any secondary school not teaching about lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) relationships by summer 2021 will receive no higher than "requires improvement" in its grading for leadership and management.
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However, primary schools not teaching about LGBT relationships after the start of the summer term will not be downgraded “as long as the school can satisfy inspectors that it has still fulfilled the requirements of the DfE’s statutory guidance” by consulting parents on the matter.
If parents have not been consulted “inspectors will consider this when making the leadership and management judgment”, the guidance states.
“The school will not ordinarily receive a judgment for this better than requires improvement,” it adds.
Critics have warned that teaching children about LGBT later could lead to increased incidences of bullying.
Stephen Terry, chair of the Accord Coalition for Inclusive Education, said: “It has been clearly shown that the school system is a setting where a lot of LGBT bullying still takes place.
“If we are serious as a nation in wishing to create a society in which LGBT people feel safe to be themselves without the threat of discrimination, stigma and prejudice, Ofsted should lead the way in ensuring that all schools encourage and promote acceptance of those who identify as LGBT.”
Terry also accused Ofsted of being “pressured” into not not downgrading primary schools that do not teach children about LGBT relationships.
A report by think-tank The Policy Exchange, published earlier this year, called for Ofsted to “rewrite and publish their guidance to inspectors to ensure it is in line with the Department for Education’s primary school policy”.
It states: “The Department for Education policy is explicit about a matter, such as the fact that teaching explicitly about LGBT+ matters is mandatory for secondary schools but not for primary schools, Ofsted should ensure its own guidance and the practice of its inspectors reflects this.”
DfE says that it expects “all pupils to have been taught LGBT content at a timely point as part of this area of the curriculum”.
In further guidance to primary schools it suggests that LGBT relationships should be covered as part of lessons on family.
“Accord is astonished and concerned that school inspectors have been apparently pressured into downgrading the importance of LGBT inclusion. Such a regressive and backsliding move waters down earlier commitments, and gives aid and counsel to those who would deny basic human rights to those of whom they do not approve. This shameful decision should be protested by all who want this country to be an open, free and tolerant society,” Terry added.
An Ofsted spokesperson said: “The Department for Education’s guidance makes it clear that secondary schools must teach about LGBT issues. Therefore, from next summer, if secondary schools do not teach about all the protected characteristics, they will receive a judgment of requires improvement for leadership and management.
“However, government guidance is that primary schools have more discretion over when LGBT issues are age appropriate, and so won’t necessarily be marked down on leadership and management if they exclude them.”