Glasgow schools to provide increasing support to transgender pupils

The city’s school psychologists have attended training on how to ‘create trans-inclusive schools’ delivered by LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall. 

Now roll-out plans are being drawn up to make sure teachers can access training and share best practice according to an update presented to councillors last week.

Teachers at King's Park Secondary have already received training through the council’s psychology team discussing how to support a young person wishing to change their name and pronouns among other information. 

And this month a Pride Lite event is to take place in the council chambers hosting 160 LGBT pupils. There will be storytelling workshops featuring first out gay Scottish senior footballer Zander Murray among other guests as well as workshops and a film on LGBT history. 

Councillor Elaine Gallagher, Scottish Greens, said: “I’m delighted to see the good work being done in LGBT inclusion work and gender friendly work for boys.”

She asked for an update on the effectiveness of activities and an official confirmed that would be provided at a later date. 

Speaking after the meeting, Scottish Greens councillor Blair Anderson added: “Here in Glasgow, we should be extremely proud of our council’s education services who have been absolutely committed to delivering inclusive and LGBTQ+-friendly education to Glasgow’s young people, in the face of increasing abuse and bigotry on social media.

“Schools and teachers have been doing incredible work to promote equality, and I’m delighted that Green councillors have secured a commitment to the roll-out of training and resources across Glasgow’s schools to create trans-inclusive classrooms and to prevent young LGBTQ+ people from being bullied.”

The transgender inclusion work is part of a wide-ranging agenda to promote equality in education. 

Last week’s education, skills and early years city policy committee saw staff updated on equalities. 

Within schools, work is taking place on disability awareness and related bullying as well as professional learning for staff and giving pupils a voice in decision making.

Plans include schools using a learning resource called I Am Me to help kids recognise and understand disabilities and the consequences of bullying.

Wellshot Primary has been praised for its work in helping the whole school community “better understand neurodivergent children and young people", according to a report presented to the committee. 

The school runs workshops for parents on autism and provides advice and support. Staff are also receiving training on enhancing practice for pupils with additional support needs.

Efforts are also taking place to tackle gender stereotyping and the committee was given an update on the work in relation to boys. 

More than 90 Glasgow nurseries have taken part in gender friendly nursery training events.

The aim of the programme is to raise “awareness of issues around gender and consider the impact on our youngest learners” according to a council paper presented to the committee. 

Work includes addressing gender imbalance on the uptake of particular subjects in secondaries and trying to enhance boys' engagement in literacy-based activities. 

A report said: “There is much discussion about the pressures on girls and women to look, think and behave in certain ways. This can also be the case for boys and young men. Education services and the EEWG continue to work in partnership with all establishments to recognise and challenge gender stereotyping."