A GLASGOW primary school has become the first in Scotland to fully embed LGBT inclusive education into its teaching in an “important milestone”.
In 2019, Scotland became the first country in the world to embed LGBT-inclusive education across the school curriculum.
The Scottish Government launched a dedicated package of resources to help schools build on existing good practice to promote equality, reduce bullying and improve the educational experiences of LGBT children and young people.
Castleton Primary School in Castlemilk has now become the first in the country to embed this right across its curriculum.
The package includes teaching resources to ensure subjects across age groups include LGBT identities, issues and history, as well as training for teachers and school leaders to approach topics with knowledge and confidence.
A recent report on the approach by Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) found it improved the attitudes and experiences of pupils and staff, including LGBT young people.
Following a visit to Castleton Primary School, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth (below) said: “Many schools across the country already take positive steps to educate learners about LGBT identities and issues but this is an important milestone.
“We will continue to do all we can to help young people to reach their full potential in a diverse and inclusive society.
“We know that this approach has already improved experiences for many young people, with pupils reporting fewer instances of anti-LGBT behaviour, language, and bullying, both in school and the wider community. It is clear that this inclusive approach to education is already delivering real results for young people.
“The inspirational work being undertaken at Castleton and schools like it across the country highlight how inclusive education can help to stamp out prejudice and I look forward to seeing further progress on this work in the coming months and years.”
Castleton Primary School is the first school to complete the National Implementation and Evaluation Toolkit, provided to assist schools in implementing the Scottish Government’s national approach.
This means the school has fully completed staff training, consulted with their school community, planned, developed, and implemented LGBT-inclusive education in its setting, evaluated the effectiveness of this work in their school, and developed mechanisms for sustainability of the work.
Jordan Daly, co-founder and director of Time for Inclusive Education said: “We have been privileged to work with Castleton Primary School to take this forward, and are encouraged by reports from pupils and teachers about the positive impact that this has had on their school experiences.
“Schools in Scotland have free access to professional learning, teaching resources, and a structured implementation toolkit, provided by the Scottish Government, and we would encourage all teachers to engage with these resources to begin improving outcomes for LGBT young people and families in their school community."
