We welcome the new RSE guidance, and believe it is a good step in the right direction, but it is one of many that must be taken to effectively protect our children and teach them the things they need to know at the appropriate age. Crucially, “…this updated guidance includes clear age limits for the teaching of the most sensitive content and specifies that the contested topic of gender identity should not be taught. And it reinforces the vital principle that parents have the right to know about everything their children are being taught and be given a proper chance to understand and discuss it.” 

RSE is a small part of the curriculum, and it’s important that the points raised by this guidance apply to the whole school day. Gender identity should not be taught in RSE, history, geography or at lunchtime clubs and special assemblies. 

45. Schools should not teach about the broader concept of gender identity. Gender identity is a highly contested and complex subject. It is a sense a person may have of their own gender, whether male, female or a number of other categories. This may or may not be the same as their biological sex. Many people do not consider that they or others have a separate gender identity. 

It is disappointing that this section just quotes the ideologue’s definition of gender identity as it shows that despite calling it a contested topic, the government is still giving credence to Stonewall lingo instead of recognising the destructive nature of this ideology. Thankfully, they have at least clarified the legal position of the gender reassignment protected characteristic.  

43. Pupils should also be taught the law about gender reassignment. Schools should be clear that an individual must be 18 before they can legally reassign their gender. This means that a child’s legal sex will always be the same as their biological sex and, at school, boys cannot be legally classified as girls or vice versa. 

This should at least make sure that schools stop allowing boys into female only single sex spaces such as toilets and changing rooms. They have also made it very clear that resources such as the Genderbread person, the gender unicorn and the Barbie to GI Joe scale are incredibly harmful and should never be used in section 46, “…it risks leading pupils who do not comply with sex stereotypes to question their gender when they might not have done so otherwise.”

This cannot be overstated. Children are so impressionable, content like this is exactly what has caused the clear classroom to clinic pipeline. It’s damaging enough when found online, but when taught as a valid aspect to modern life from such a young age, it is profound abuse. It’s quite bizarre that the dangers of the internet are recognised, while being seemingly blind to the gender influencers normalising drugs and extreme self-harm.

53. Some pupils may be exposed to harmful behaviours, including online, which may normalise harmful or violent sexual behaviours. This can include exposure to sexist and misogynistic influencers, which may normalise sexual harassment and abuse. Teachers should be aware of risk factors such as existing vulnerabilities, bullying, peer pressure, or low self-esteem, that may make some boys more vulnerable to harmful online content and encourage pupils to consider how this content may be harmful to both men and women.

Transgender ideation should be included alongside the guidance on self-harm and eating disorders. It is a phenomenon that schools can’t simply ignore, so should only be discussed alongside relevant topics such as religions, cults, and mental health problems and should also be recognised as a specialised area which few teachers are currently equipped to properly discuss. 

82. Teaching in secondary should build on primary content, supporting pupils to understand their changing bodies and their feelings, how to protect their own health and wellbeing, and when a physical or mental health issue requires attention. Schools may also choose to teach about issues such as eating disorders and self-harm. It is important that schools ensure teachers are properly equipped to lead discussions about these topics, including what to do if a pupil makes a disclosure.

Eating disorders can be taught about in a safe and sensitive way. It should be recognised that it is a specialised area and schools should use qualified support or advice as needed. Schools may consider accessing support from the NHS or local specialist services who may be able to provide advice and CPD for teachers.

86. If teachers have concerns about a specific pupil in relation to eating disorders, selfharm or suicidal ideation or attempts, or a pupil discloses information, they must follow safeguarding procedures.

Ultimately, gender ideology has completed subverted current safeguarding and tens of thousands of children have been permanently damaged as a result, if not more. It’s vital that this is recognised and schools act accordingly. 

55. Teachers should adopt an approach which creates a safe environment for pupils to discuss these topics outside of the classroom. However, the welfare of the child is paramount and schools should have regard to the statutory guidance Keeping children safe in education. 

KCSIE defines emotional abuse as “the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children.”

It’s clear that forcing children to go along with the “social transition” of their classmates, disciplining them for using accurate pronouns etc, are all weapons of emotional abuse. It’s also emotional abuse to teach children about adult topics before they are ready. We therefore also welcome the age restrictions on various topics, and the clarification that this can be flexible if needed. 

59. Schools should seek to follow these age limits at all times. However, flexibility may be necessary in order to respond promptly to issues which pose an imminent safeguarding risk to their pupils. In certain circumstances, schools may decide to teach age-limited topics earlier, provided it is necessary do so in order to safeguard pupils and provided that teaching is limited to the essential facts, without going into unnecessary detail.

Although this guidance seems to be a big step in the right direction, we must take further action to protect our children from school indoctrination. Trans ideation must be recognised as a safeguarding issue, instead of being treated as a sexual orientation. Activist teachers must not be allowed to spread harmful social justice ideologies. Teacher training needs addressed, DBS checks need to be tightened and perhaps most importantly, the state-funded grooming gangs and their rainbow awards need to be defunded and held accountable for all the children they have harmed.