What could an LGBT-inclusive RSHE curriculum look like in primary schools?

What you can do

What does the statutory guidance say?

The statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) sets out what schools are required to teach within RSHE. When it comes to LGBT topics, the guidance says that primary schools are required to teach about different families. In their FAQs for schools, the DfE has stated that while it is not obligatory that they do so, ‘primary schools are strongly encouraged and enabled’ to cover LGBT content when teaching about different types of families in Relationships Education.

What could an LGBT-inclusive RSHE curriculum look like?

In the statutory guidance on RSHE, the DfE outlines what pupils should know by the end of primary for each of the major topics. This is required content. Below, we’ve included some examples of how LGBT-specific content could be woven through each topic – these are our suggestions and are intended to get you started.

Download LGBT-inclusive RSHE: Putting it into practice as a PDF

Families and people who care for me

Pupils should know:

that families are important for children growing up because they can give love, security and stability.
the characteristics of healthy family life; commitment to each other, including in times of difficulty; protection and care for children and other family members; the importance of spending time together and sharing each other’s lives.
that others’ families, either in school or in the wider world, sometimes look different from their family, but that they should respect those differences and know that other children’s families are also characterised by love and care.
that stable, caring relationships, which may be of different types, are at the heart of happy families, and are important for children’s security as they grow up.
that marriage represents a formal and legally recognised commitment of two people to each other which is intended to be lifelong.
how to recognise if family relationships are making them feel unhappy or unsafe, and how to seek help or advice from others if needed.

Consider teaching:

that other children’s families may look different to a pupil’s own, but are just as valid and worthy of respect – this can cover lots of different family structures and we recommend explicitly including families with LGBT parents.
that the law says same-sex couples can get married and adopt children.
our Different Families resource pack provides a useful starting point for talking about the many ways in which caring families can be different from one another. It is included in Annex B to the statutory guidance on RSHE, which lists suggested resources. Story books can also be helpful – our primary school book list has lots of recommendations.
our Different Families lesson packs for primary and special schools may also be helpful.

Caring friendships

Pupils should know:

how important friendships are in making us feel happy and secure, and how people choose and make friends.
the characteristics of friendships, including mutual respect, truthfulness, trustworthiness, loyalty, kindness, generosity, trust, sharing interests and experiences and support with problems and difficulties.
that healthy friendships are positive and welcoming towards others, and do not make others feel lonely or excluded.
that most friendships have ups and downs, and that these can often be worked through so that the friendship is repaired or even strengthened, and that resorting to violence is never right.
how to recognise who to trust and who not to trust; how to judge when a friendship is making them feel unhappy or uncomfortable;
managing conflict; how to manage the above situations and how to seek help or advice from others, if needed.

Consider teaching:

that the characteristics of a healthy friendship include respecting all the ways in which our friends might be different to us – this could include respecting how people’s families can be different, including LGBT families.
what to do if someone hurts or excludes us for being different (this may include teaching pupils how to report HBT bullying and language).
Stonewall School & College Champion members may find our film resources, FREE – the film, helpful in starting conversations about respectful and caring friendships.

Respectful relationships

Pupils should know:

the importance of respecting others, even when they are very different from them (for example, physically, in character, personality or backgrounds), or make different choices to them, or have different preferences or beliefs.
practical steps they can take in a range of different contexts to improve or support respectful relationships.
the conventions of courtesy and manners.
the importance of self-respect and how this links to their own happiness.
that in school and in wider society they can expect to be treated with respect by others, and that in turn they should show due respect to others, including those in positions of authority.
about different types of bullying (including cyberbullying), the impact of bullying, responsibilities of bystanders (primarily reporting bullying to an adult) and how to get help.
what a stereotype is, and how stereotypes can be unfair, negative or destructive.
the importance of seeking and giving permission-seeking and giving in relationships with friends, peers and adults.

Consider teaching:

about discrimination, including discrimination against LGBT people, and why this is wrong.
what HBT bullying is, why it is wrong and how to respond to it safely and appropriately, including how to report it within your school.
what gender stereotypes are and how they can be harmful for LGBT people specifically – for example, it is a gender stereotype that all women want to be in a romantic relationship with a man, and that all gay men are effeminate.

Online relationships

Pupils should know:

the rules and principles for keeping safe online; how to recognise risks, harmful content and contact;, and how to report them.
how to critically consider their online friendships and sources of information, including awareness of the risks associated with people they have never met.
how information and data is shared and used online.

Consider teaching:

that using discriminatory language online can be harmful, including HBT language – for example, saying, ‘that’s so gay’ or calling people gay as an insult.
how to report harmful content online – we recommend that this includes reporting HBT bullying and language online.
Stonewall and CEOP’s guide to online safety for adults supporting LGBT young people, Staying Safe Online, has lots of helpful information and advice.

Being safe

Pupils should know:

what sorts of boundaries are appropriate in friendships with peers and others (including in a digital context).
about the concept of privacy and the implications of it for both children and adults; including that it is not always right to keep secrets if they relate to being safe.
that each person’s body belongs to them, and the differences between appropriate and inappropriate or unsafe physical, and other, contact.
how to respond safely and appropriately to adults they may encounter (in all contexts, including online) whom they do not know.
how to recognise and report feelings of being unsafe or feeling bad about any adult.
how to ask for advice or help for themselves or others, and to keep trying until they are heard.
how to report concerns or abuse, and the vocabulary and confidence needed to do so.
where to get advice, e.g. family, school and/or other sources.

Consider teaching:

Be aware: the same principles of staying safe apply to all children, whether they are LGBT or not, but it is helpful to ensure that your case studies, examples, videos, storybooks etc include LGBT characters. This shows pupils that this teaching applies to LGBT people and the relationships they have, or may go on to have, just as it applies to people who aren’t LGBT.
where you signpost to support services, helplines, websites etc, we recommend that you include support services specifically for LGBT children and young people and their families. Find recommendations in our Introduction to Supporting LGBT Children and Young People..

Mental wellbeing

Pupils should know:

that mental wellbeing is a normal part of daily life, in the same way as physical health.
that there is a normal range of emotions (e.g. happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, nervousness) and scale of emotions that all humans experience in relation to different experiences and situations.
how to recognise and talk about their emotions, including having a varied vocabulary of words to use when talking about their own and others’ feelings.
how to judge whether what they are feeling and how they are behaving is appropriate and proportionate.
the benefits of physical exercise, time outdoors, community participation, and voluntary and service-based activity on mental wellbeing and happiness.
simple self-care techniques, including the importance of rest, time spent with friends and family, and the benefits of hobbies and interests.
isolation and loneliness can affect children and that it is very important for children to discuss their feelings with an adult and seek support.
that bullying (including cyberbullying) has a negative and often lasting impact on mental wellbeing.
where and how to seek support (including recognising the triggers for seeking support) including whom in school they should speak to if they are worried about their own or someone else’s mental wellbeing or ability to control their emotions (including issues arising online).
it is common for people to experience mental ill health. For many people who do, the problems can be resolved if the right support is made available, especially if accessed early enough.

Consider teaching:

about how bullying, including HBT bullying, can have a negative impact on mental health and wellbeing.
how to recognise and report HBT bullying.
how celebrating and respecting difference can help everybody feel safer and more able to be themselves. This could include respecting the ways in which everybody’s families can look different, including having LGBT parents or family members.

Internet safety and harms

Pupils should know:

that for most people the internet is an integral part of life and has many benefits.
about the benefits of rationing time spent online, the risks of excessive time spent on electronic devices, and the impact of positive and negative content online on their own and others’ mental and physical wellbeing.
how to consider the effect of their online actions on others and know how to recognise and display respectful behaviour online and the importance of keeping personal information private.
why social media, some computer games and online gaming, for example, are age restricted.
that the internet can also be a negative place where online abuse, trolling, bullying and harassment can take place, which can have a negative impact on mental health.
how to be a discerning consumer of information online, including understanding that information, including that from search engines, is ranked, selected and targeted.
where and how to report concerns and get support with issues online.

Consider teaching:

how to recognise and report HBT language, bullying and abuse online.
why HBT bullying and language online (including using ‘gay’ as an insult) can be hurtful, and the impact it can have for pupils who are LGBT or have LGBT family members.

Physical health

Pupils should know:

the characteristics and mental and physical benefits of an active lifestyle.
the importance of building regular exercise into daily and weekly routines and how to achieve this; for example walking or cycling to school, a daily active mile or other forms of regular, vigorous exercise.
the risks associated with an inactive lifestyle (including obesity).
how and when to seek support, including which adults to speak to in school if they are worried about their health.

Consider teaching:

how gender stereotypes can stop people from participating in the kinds of sports or physical activities they most enjoy – for example, boys might feel like they’re not allowed to enjoy dancing, or girls might feel they’re not allowed to enjoy rugby
everybody has a right to choose the sports and activities they want to participate in, regardless of what gender they are. Be aware: It may be helpful to provide information about how trans pupils can access advice or support at school if they have worries or questions about taking part in sports – for example, worries about where they will get changed. For information and advice, see our Introduction to Supporting LGBT Children and Young People.

Changing adolescent body

Pupils should know:

key facts about puberty and the changing adolescent body, particularly from age 9 through to age 11, including physical and emotional changes.
about menstrual wellbeing, including the key facts about the menstrual cycle.

Consider teaching:

that most people will experience changes to their body during puberty, and that puberty can affect different people’s bodies in different ways.
each pupil should have access to information that is relevant to their body and the changes they might experience during puberty.

Be aware: A trans pupil’s body might be changing during puberty in a way that doesn’t match their gender identity – for example, a trans boy going through puberty might be experiencing some of the same physical changes that girls experience.

Avoid splitting pupils by gender if you can, so that pupils can learn about the ways in which all bodies change during puberty, and find the information that’s relevant to their experience. If, after exploring all other alternatives, a school decides to group some activities by gender, they should make it clear that trans pupils can participate in the gender group they feel most comfortable in, and provide opportunities in advance for trans pupils to discuss how they’d like to receive this teaching with their teacher.

The DfE’s guidance on the Equality Act in schools makes clear that ‘Pupils undergoing gender reassignment should be allowed to attend the single sex class that accords with the gender role in which they identify’. As not all pupils (trans or cis) may want to receive this teaching in (gender) groups, schools should proactively plan different ways to deliver this teaching (for example in smaller group/1-2-1 teaching) – this is particularly helpful in ensuring non-binary pupils are included.