LGBT-related information about healthy relationships and safe sex is largely excluded from relationships and sex education (RSE) in Britain’s schools, a new report published by Stonewall has revealed. It is also worse in ‘faith’ schools than others.
Stonewall’s School Report, which is produces once every five years, details the findings of a survey of nearly 4,000 LGBT young people on their experiences in secondary schools and colleges across Britain. The report finds that nearly half of LGBT pupils (45%) are bullied for being LGBT at school, a figure that is significantly down on previous years. However, four in five trans young people and three in five lesbian, gay and bisexual young people are revealed to have self-harmed at some stage during their school life.
Giving particular attention to the provision of RSE in schools, the survey finds that LGBT-specific information is largely absent from teaching, and suggests that the situation is particularly concerning at ‘faith’ schools. While only one in five of all LGBT pupils have learnt about where to go for help and advice about same-sex relationships in school, the proportion drops to just one in ten for LGBT pupils who attend ‘faith’ schools. The report highlights the experience of one student from a religious secondary school, who says that ‘We were openly told that same-sex relationships are too inappropriate to be discussed in class. A pupil asking about same-sex adoption was asked to leave the class so as not to offend the sensitivities of other students.’
This is especially troubling given the Government’s commitment that ‘faith schools will continue to be able to teach in accordance with the tenets of their faith’, made after RSE was given statutory status earlier this year.
The report’s other key findings on ‘faith’ schools specifically are as follows:
- ‘LGBT pupils in faith schools are more likely than those in non-faith schools to say that teachers and school staff never challenge homophobic, biphobic and transphobic language when they hear it (31 per cent compared to 22 per cent).’
- ‘LGBT pupils attending faith schools are less likely to report that their school says that homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying is wrong’ (57 per cent, versus 70 per cent of other schools)
- ‘Nearly nine in ten LGBT pupils (87 per cent) have learnt about contraception and safe sex at school, however just one in five LGBT pupils (20 per cent) – and only one in ten LGBT pupils who attend faith schools (10 per cent) – have learnt about this in relation to same-sex relationships.’
- ‘LGBT pupils of faith are somewhat more likely to have tried to take their own life than those who aren’t of faith (30 per cent compared to 25 per cent).’
The survey results support the findings of a landmark report published by Humanists UK last year into the extent to which RSE was being reported on in Ofsted inspections. Healthy, happy, safe? revealed that Ofsted has been ‘almost totally neglecting’ SRE and PSHE in school inspections. On LGBT issues specifically, the report found that homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying (HBT) was addressed in just 14% of reports, but almost all of these were about schools positively addressing the issue, in spite of the widespread failings Stonewall has identified today, and very few of these dealt with trans issues specifically. Outside of HBT bullying, references to LGBT issues of any kind were found in fewer than 10% of reports.
In light of the findings, Stonewall make a series of recommendations for decision-makers across schools, local authorities, and various government departments designed to improve the experience of LGBT young people. This includes recommendations for the Department for Education and Ofsted that build on the recommendations made by Humanists UK in its report, such as ensuring that all PSHE and RSE guidance is fully LGBT-inclusive, and ensuring that delivering high-quality, inclusive RSE forms a key part of Ofsted’s assessment criteria for inspections.
Commenting on the report, Humanists UK Education Campaigns Manager Jay Harman said, ‘Whilst there is some encouragement in the finding that homophobic and biphobic bullying has fallen significantly in schools, Stonewall is absolutely right to note how much there is still left to do. This is particularly true when it comes to ensuring that all RSE teaching is fully LGBT-inclusive, which clearly needs to be achieved as a matter of urgency.
‘Fortunately, with RSE now compulsory in all schools, the Government has an opportunity to make this happen when it produces new official guidance on RSE in the coming months. That guidance must make clear that if RSE is to serve pupils equally and effectively, it must be LGBT-inclusive in all schools, including “faith” schools. To require anything short of that would be to knowingly fail a great many young people in our education system, and that cannot be allowed to happen.’
Notes
For further comment or information please contact Humanist UK Education Campaigns Manager Jay Harman on jay@humanists.uk 0r 0207 324 3078.
Read Stonewall’s School Report 2017: http://www.stonewall.org.uk/school-report-2017
Read Humanists UK’s previous news item ‘Humanists UK welcomes Government move towards Relationships and Sex Education in English schools; expresses concerns about opt outs for ‘faith’ schools: https://humanists.uk/2017/03/01/bha-welcomes-government-move-towards-relationships-and-sex-education-in-all-english-schools-expresses-concerns-about-opt-outs-for-faith-schools/
Read the written ministerial statement announcing statutory RSE: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-03-01/HCWS509/
Read Humanists UK’s previous story, ‘Major new Humanists UK report: school inspections ‘almost totally neglect’ PSHE and SRE’: https://humanists.uk/2017/01/27/major-new-bha-report-school-inspections-almost-totally-neglect-pshe-and-sre/
Read Humanists UK’s report, Healthy, happy, safe? An investigation into how PSHE and SRE are inspected in English schools: https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017-01-25-FINAL-Healthy-Happy-Safe.pdf
Read more about Humanists UK’s work on PSHE and SRE: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/schools-and-education/school-curriculum/pshe-and-sex-and-relationships-education/
At Humanists UK, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. Our work brings non-religious people together to develop their own views, helping people be happier and more fulfilled in the one life we have. Through our ceremonies, education services, and community and campaigning work, we strive to create a fair and equal society for all.
Humanists UK is a member of the Sex Education Forum (SEF) and PSHE Association and sits on SEF’s advisory group.