How others are celebrating LGBT History Month

Here's what some of our School Champions and College Champions do during LGBT History Month, in their own words. Use these innovative ideas for inspiration about what to do in your own schools and colleges.

Primary schools

Jenny Hammond Primary School

For four days, we come off timetable and use age-appropriate picture books as the basis for activities around the theme of 'Different Families' including same-sex relationships. Each class has an end target: in addition to work produced along the way, each class has to come up with its own display containing the message 'All different. All similar. All equal'. In the past we've produced similar work with the title 'Wouldn't it be boring if we were all the same?' The fifth day of the week is a celebration of our work and a sharing of our learning through whole school and key stage assemblies.

In our Diversity Week, we tie together themes, special days and other events such as Anti-Bullying Week, Black History Month, Multilingual Month, World Book Day etc. by exploring work relating to these events that has a more specific LGB focus. In assemblies and in singing time throughout February, we listen to music by LGB composers/musicians and sing songs such as Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful' and Katy Perry's 'Firework' exploring the reasons why these and similar songs are so popular with the LGB community.

It really is a whole school immersion and celebration; a week that has positive repercussions throughout the school community and throughout the school year.

Secondary schools

Bedford Academy

We will be showing Stonewall's feature-film FIT to students at break and lunchtimes, running workshops for Year 9 students, and asking students to sign up to an anti-homophobic bullying charter. We'll also be carrying out a student survey to find out the attitudes towards gay people and experiences of homophobic bullying.

As well as this, there will be rainbow flags and bunting displayed in the school, a Year 12 on-screen opinion poll and an information stand in the library.

Rokeby School

Similar to our work last year, we will be developing and delivering some lessons around the LGBT theme during this month.

We will be developing lesson resources for your subject areas that all staff can access during the month. We will also develop a range of display work around the school and a Thought of the Week which will focus on the theme. We also have a scheduled P4C enquiry in late January which will be based on LGBT themes.

In Humanities Year 7 will take part in workshops using Stonewall's 'FIT' DVD. Students have also designed these fantastic t-shirts, which they will be wearing throughout LGBT History Month.

Rokeby tshirts small

Chew Valley School

From our LGBT History month display to our Doodle for Diversity campaign the month is filled with activity. Students from our Youth Involvement Group organised a poster campaign to challenge homophobic bullying and encouraged people to express themselves on a doodle art board.

In lessons, students have been finding out about Truman Capote and Alan Turing as well as reading Morris Gleitzman’s ‘Two Weeks with the Queen’ and discussing ‘Mrs Brown’s’ commentary on gay marriage.

In lunchtimes we have been showing episodes from ‘FIT’ and in assemblies pupils have heard from our Stonewall Youth Campaigner, Liv, and have heard about Sophia Bailey Klugh’s letter to President Obama about being bullied because she has gay parents.

Chew Valley LGBT month

Sir Jonathan North Community College Leicester

During Assemblies through LGBT History Month we have been focusing on the theme ‘Things aren’t always as they seem', looking at stereotypes and encouraging pupils not judge a book by its cover or make assumptions. We have been discussing media stereotypes and equality alongside this.

We have launched our ‘Together Against Homophobia’ group this week during the assemblies and it has been very well received. The slogan, as designed and adopted by the pupils, is ‘labels are for clothes not for people’. Some pupils also took part in our assembly, talking to their peers about homophobia and equality.

sir john LGBT History Month

FE colleges

The BRIT School

We held our annual LGBT History Month performance on 21 February. Featuring monologues and songs written by students themselves, the performance was a showcase of promising talent across a range of media including acting, dance, singing, song-writing and film.

We have also taken this performance into local schools to raise the issue of homophobic bullying and celebrate difference.

College of North West London

We are tasking each of the heads of faculty to give a presentation to staff and students on a historic LGBT individual from their subject area who has made a big impact in society. For example Alan Turing whose code cracking was hugely important to the Allies' victory in World War II (IT) and Oscar Wilde (drama).

Universities

University College London

We are hosting a range of events to celebrate LGBT History Month in February, including exhibitions, comedy nights, film screenings and panel debates.

Click here to read the full programme of events.

To let us know about the activities your school or college are planning email us at education@stonewall.org.uk or telephone 020 7593 1850.