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LGBTQ-inclusive education: everything you need to know

All LGBTQ+ children and young people deserve an education that reflects who they are. Join us in building a world where LGBTQ+ youth are safe, seen and heard. Stop the threats to LGTBQ+ inclusive education and donate today.

In April 2019, the UK Government announced new regulations for teaching Relationships and Sex Education in England.

This was a great step forward in the fight for equality, marking a significant change in the way children and young people are taught about LGBTQ+ relationships and identities. But the fight is far from over. We still need your support.

We’ve put together these questions to help you understand what the regulations mean and, more broadly, why LGBT-inclusive education is so important.

What is LGBTQ-inclusive education and why does it matter?

Every young person deserves to see themselves, their family, and the full diversity of our world reflected in their curriculum. This includes teaching about LGBTQ+ identities and issues. While we’ve made huge strides towards LGBTQ+ equality in recent decades, anti-LGBT bullying and language unfortunately remain commonplace in Britain's schools. Nearly half of all LGBT pupils still face bullying for being who they are – and in order to change, it’s essential to deliver a curriculum that encourages all children and young people to respect those around them and appreciate difference.

The rest of these questions focus specifically on these changes to RSE in England. To find out more about our cross-curriculum LGBT inclusion, read our curriculum guide.

What are the regulations for Relationships and Sex Education?

In April 2019, with overwhelming support, the UK parliament passed new regulations for teaching Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in England. Since September 2020, all secondary schools in England have been required to teach RSE, and all primary schools in England have been required to teach Relationships Education (RE).

Schools can decide exactly how they teach RSE and RE (for example, which lesson plans they use), but the guidance sets out the key information that pupils should be taught. At secondary level, all schools must teach about sexual orientation and gender identity. At primary level, all schools must teach about different family types, which can include LGBTQ+ families.

The below questions and answers mainly apply to England. 

Why are these guidelines on Relationships and Sex Education important?

The guidelines on Relationships and Sex Education mean that all students – LGBTQ+ or not – who attend school in England are taught about what safe and healthy relationships look like and how to have them.

Previously, the guidance had not been updated since 2000 - before the repeal of Section 28, the law which banned discussions of same-sex relationships in schools. As such, the guidance excluded LGBTQ+ people and families.

The guidelines cover important issues like consent and online safety, alongside LGBTQ+ identities and relationships.

What do the guidelines on Relationships and Sex Education actually say, and what’s the difference for primary and secondary schools?

For secondary schools the guidance states that:

  • RSE must be taught in all schools in England
  • Sexual orientation and gender identity must be explored at a timely point
  • Same-sex relationships should be included within lessons discussing healthy and stable relationships
  • Schools should ‘be alive to issues such as everyday sexism, misogyny, homophobia and gender stereotypes’ and take positive action to build a culture where these are not tolerated

For primary schools, the guidance says that:

  • Relationships Education must be taught in all schools in England
  • It is recommended that schools teach Sex Education too, although they can choose not to
  • All schools should teach about different families (which can include LGBTQ+ parents), along with families headed by grandparents, single parents, adoptive parents, and foster parents/carers, among other family structures

Overall the guidance states that:

  • Schools need to make sure that the needs of all pupils are appropriately met
  • All pupils need to understand the importance of equality and respect
  • Schools must ensure they comply with the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010, which name sexual orientation and gender reassignment as protected characteristics

Does this also include private schools?

Yes – the guidance applies to all schools in England.

So what do children in primary schools actually learn about LGBTQ+ issues?

Every school needs to teach children about relationships and families. The guidance for primary schools says that this can include LGBTQ+ families. In practice, that means teaching children that it’s OK to have two mums, two dads or another family structure, such as being cared for by grandparents, single parents, or adoptive/foster parents. Take a look at some examples of books featuring different family structures.

Research shows that the majority of British public think it's right for teachers at primary school to talk positively about different families, including LGBTQ+ families.

We believe that children deserve to learn about a world which reflects the one in which they are growing up. Many children have LGBTQ+ parents, friends or family members, and the guidance will help them to grow up knowing that their families are accepted as much as everyone else’s.

Can parents withdraw their children from lessons about LGBTQ+ people and relationships?

Parents can’t withdraw their children from Relationships Education in primary or secondary school. But they can withdraw their children from some or all of Sex Education at both primary and secondary level, up until three terms before their child’s 16th birthday.

In primary school, headteachers must grant this request automatically. At secondary level, headteachers are encouraged to discuss the request with parents before they can withdraw their children from Sex Education.

Good Relationships and Sex Education equips students with the knowledge to keep themselves safe and understand when a relationship or sexual encounter may be risky or harmful. Without accessing this information through school, children or young people might look to less reliable resources online, which may offer inaccurate or harmful advice.

There were protests at schools when the guidance was introduced – what were these about?

It was deeply saddening and distressing to see these protests. That said, protests happened at a very small number of schools.

The protesters argued that teaching about LGBTQ+ people goes against their parents’ rights to decide what their children learn. Faith is often cited as a reason.

However, we know that lots of faith schools and faith leaders believe in the importance of LGBTQ-inclusive education. With the support of the government, we’ve worked with over 600 faith schools in England who are committed to creating environments where all children, families and staff feel accepted and respected.

It's essential that national and local government provide effective support for all schools to help them deliver LGBT-inclusive teaching and to engage with parents to explain the benefits of this teaching, and what it looks like in practice.

Is there political support for LGBTQ-inclusive Relationships and Sex Education?

Almost all MPs voted in favour of the changes to guidance (538 in favour, 21 against) and there was a consensus across all parties in support of this. This welcome change moved us away from the shadow of Section 28, the legislation which effectively banned any discussion of same-sex relationships in schools. We’re now calling on the government to continue to support this decision and provide enough funding to help schools put these new guidelines into practice.

What’s Stonewall doing to support schools who are teaching about LGBTQ+ people and relationships?

Stonewall was founded in response to Section 28, the legislation which effectively banned any discussion of same-sex relationships in schools. Today, it remains one of our top priorities to ensure that all children receive an education which reflects themselves, their families, and celebrates diversity.

The work we do to support schools includes our School & Colleges Champions and Children and Young People Champions programmes, best practice toolkits and resources, and e-learning courses to support school and college staff, and children and young people’s services staff.

We’ll also keep speaking out in support of the good work that schools are doing, and campaigning for money and resources to enable schools to properly apply the new RSE guidelines. You can help us by donating to our fundraiser to stop threats to inclusive education.

How can local authorities support schools in embedding this guidance?

Local authorities oversee most schools in England. Every local authority (or council) will have an elected representative who leads on education and supporting the schools in their area. It’s helpful for local authorities to know that people in their area support LGBTQ-inclusive education and expect them to support local schools in putting the guidance into practice.

Stonewall's Children and Young People's Services (CYPS) programme provides local authority Children's Services with bespoke support, guidance and training on LGBTQ+ inclusion. Find out more.

What is ‘age-appropriate’ teaching?

The current RSE guidance states that teaching Relationships and Sex Education in secondary schools and Relationships Education in primary schools should be delivered in an ‘age-appropriate’ way.

We believe it’s vital for children to know that LGBTQ+ people and families exist and that they should be accepted like everybody else. Children should learn this throughout primary and secondary school. Not only will this help young children from LGBTQ+ families feel accepted, it will also prevent bullying in the long run.

As children and young people grow up, it’s crucial that they can be themselves without feeling that there is anything wrong about doing so. This means teaching should not only be ‘age-appropriate’ – it should also be timely. We know from our research that anti-LGBT bullying is common throughout primary schools, so it’s essential that children are supported to develop inclusive attitudes from a young age.

To find out more about how to do this, see our guide.

How can faith schools embed this new guidance?

How can faith schools embed this new guidance?

Many schools already doing LGBTQ-inclusive teaching, along with tackling and preventing homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying, are faith and church schools.

The Public Sector Equality Duty requires all schools to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between people. And the Equality Act 2010 lists ‘gender reassignment’ and ‘sexual orientation’ as protected characteristics, as well as religion or belief. This means that all schools have a duty to make sure that their students are not discriminated against, either because of their faith and/or because they are LGBTQ+.

While we’ve previously seen some opposition from a small number of faith groups who believe that this education goes against their beliefs, many people of faith are also LGBTQ+, and do not feel that these identities are in opposition. It’s vital to work with faith and church schools to ensure that LGBTQ+ people of faith don’t face extra stigma for being who they are.

For more information on LGBTQ+ faith groups, see the below websites:

LGBTQ+ Muslim groups, Hidayah and Imaan. You can also contact the Muslim Youth Helpline.

LGBTQ+Jewish group, Keshet UK.

LGBTQ+Christian group, One Body One Faith

LGBTQ+ Catholic group, Quest.

I’m a parent/carer, how can I support my child's school to teach about LGBTQ+ people, families and relationships?

You can start the discussion with your child’s school. It may be a good idea to start by asking how they are currently teaching RSE, and how they’ve ensured that their lesson plans are LGBTQ inclusive.

Schools are required to engage with parents and carers in developing policy. Schools will consult parents and carers in different ways, so you may be invited to a consultation meeting or to submit views by email, for example.

As part of the guidance, schools should have an up-to-date policy statement on RSE, which should be available to parents and carers. However, you can also ask about LGBTQ+ inclusivity in other policies, since inclusivity shouldn’t just be about RSE (find out more about this). Finally, you could suggest that they might want to become a Stonewall School Champion if they aren’t already.

I’m at school now, how will the changes in Relationships and Sex Education affect me?

If you’re at a secondary school, your school will need to ensure that Relationships and Sex Education lessons are LGBTQ+ inclusive, as well as covering important topics like consent and online safety.

I work in a school, what resources do Stonewall have to help my school be LGBTQ-inclusive?

Some useful resources include:

I’m a teacher, how can I help my students have a say?

We’ve made a guide for teachers to help them include their students’ voices in decisions made by the school.

If you work in a secondary school, find out more.

All LGBTQ+ children and young people deserve an education that reflects who they are. Join us in building a world where LGBTQ+ youth are safe, seen and heard. Stop the threats to LGTBQ+ inclusive education and donate today.

Find out more about our campaign for LGBTQ-inclusive education: #HearQueerYouth.

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