GDST schools announce trans policy

Ex GDST here too, with youngest DD still at her GDST school for at least another 3.5 years, probably 5.5 as she loves it so much. I am absolutely thrilled to see this. I sent her to an all girls’ school for a reason as did, I imagine, pretty much everyone else. She sat only for girls’ schools, although I do appreciate that living in SW London, we are surrounded by both GDST and others everywhere I look!

From the Telegraph article:

"It is rare for a group of single-sex schools to take a public position on the issue of admissions, and it could pave the way to others to follow suit."
I do indeed hope it paves the way.

"The guidance states that GDST schools do not accept applications from pupils who are legally male, even if they identify as female."
And all boys will be legally male, IIRC GRCs are adult only.

"Having an admissions policy based on “gender identity rather than the legal sex recorded on a student’s birth certificate would jeopardise the status of GDST schools as single-sex schools” under the Equality Act, it says."
So they've read the Act! Yay! And, they recognise that being single-sex is what the parents are choosing on.

"A female pupil who begins to transition while already at school should be supported to remain at the school for as long as they wish to do so, it adds."
Hammering home the point that it is not anti-trans but pro-female.

Good on them!

No such thing as "boys' subjects" in a girls' school.

Yes! It worked in reverse at my son's school, which was all boys. They had excellent take up of modern languages, English, Art etc at A level.

Good news. Let’s hope the single sex state schools follow this thinking too. My teen girls thriving in all girl feminist environment.

[quote Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]@ANewCreation, you said:

Being at an all girls school gave a bedrock that everything was possible for me if I aimed high enough. There were frequent assemblies on the theme of 'aim for the stars and you'll reach the treetops. Aim for the treetops and you'll hit the ground.'

Female people were capable of anything.
Which very possibly contributed to my Ignorance of sexism, in thinking that the work of feminism was pretty much done by the end of the 80s and my developing horror at how precarious women's rights are globally in 2022.
I am also not convinced that my old school now having a male head is all that helpful for current pupils in terms of seeing women at the top of leadership structures... But, yes, good on the GDST - hopefully this provides a way for other female organisations to row back.

A lot of that resonates with me. My school sadly doesn't exist any more as it merged with its brother school many years ago. I'm sure the girls in the merged school do well but it will be a very different experience.

A few years after the merger I was electrified to see in the Alumni Newsletter an earnest little piece from a sixth form girl copied across from the School Magazine, explaining to younger girls that it was OK to like science and maths - girls could do those subjects too, and even end up in STEM careers!

During my time at the school in the 1970s there was no need to say this. We had excellent science and maths teaching, and for most of the time I was there all the teachers in those (and all other) departments were female, as was the school leadership. I didn't do Science and Maths A levels but about half my year group did, and most went on to do STEM degrees.[/quote]
I also had a fantastic experience at a girls' school, and I was very upset when they merged with the associated boys' school (especially because I think it was largely driven by the boys' school- they were losing too many boys at 6th form to mixed schools) Not the same school as you- this merger happened within the last 5 years.

And I did Physics and Further Maths at A Level, because why on earth wouldn't I?! No such thing as "boys' subjects" in a girls' school. I'm sad in general how many single sex schools have gone coed. Sigh.

Thank goodness for that.
These are such good schools that do everything they can to keep fees as low as possible and to give bursaries so that girls can have a good education where many excel in science as well as in all the other subjects. They also learn to speak up and be confident.

@ANewCreation, you said:

Being at an all girls school gave a bedrock that everything was possible for me if I aimed high enough. There were frequent assemblies on the theme of 'aim for the stars and you'll reach the treetops. Aim for the treetops and you'll hit the ground.'

Female people were capable of anything.
Which very possibly contributed to my Ignorance of sexism, in thinking that the work of feminism was pretty much done by the end of the 80s and my developing horror at how precarious women's rights are globally in 2022.
I am also not convinced that my old school now having a male head is all that helpful for current pupils in terms of seeing women at the top of leadership structures... But, yes, good on the GDST - hopefully this provides a way for other female organisations to row back.

A lot of that resonates with me. My school sadly doesn't exist any more as it merged with its brother school many years ago. I'm sure the girls in the merged school do well but it will be a very different experience.

A few years after the merger I was electrified to see in the Alumni Newsletter an earnest little piece from a sixth form girl copied across from the School Magazine, explaining to younger girls that it was OK to like science and maths - girls could do those subjects too, and even end up in STEM careers!

During my time at the school in the 1970s there was no need to say this. We had excellent science and maths teaching, and for most of the time I was there all the teachers in those (and all other) departments were female, as was the school leadership. I didn't do Science and Maths A levels but about half my year group did, and most went on to do STEM degrees.

Have emailed Cheryl as a GDST parent with my 100% support and why.

So pleased to read this, good for them

I agree, but am inclined to see this positively. Acknowledging that the actual law permits same sex exceptions is good to hear. It's another small movement of the pendulum and momentum is gathering.

If girls' schools were made to accept transgirls, then boys' schools would also come under pressure to do the same.
In particular, that would open up access for transboys to acquire valuable scholarships that have previously been available only to boys. It's well-known that boys schools are much better endowed with larger bursary funds.
I expect certain people find that thought intolerable.

It seems that choristers, for example, are very firmly boys or girls, with strictly separate choirs.
Often chorister boys are given significant scholarships for their education that are not available to girls, either because the associated choir school admits only boys (the girls come from a range of local schools) or considers the girls' choir to be inferior.

I understood it to be restating existing policy, but welcome this nevertheless.

I am also aware of a non GDST girls school locally that has admitted a male trans pupil, unsure whether boarder or day pupil.

*wit not with 🙄

I'm hoping it's a useful first step in pushing back. Our indy girls school is not gdst (not on the list of 25), but I hope will take notice.
Having an awful time with young DD, LGBT+ club run by sixth form LGBT+ students, Stonewall guidance referred to in RSE policy etc. Parental influence does not seem to get anywhere, and we may have to pull her out, but it's everywhere!

Glad to see this is being flagged by schools as a very significant and growing issue, and requesting stronger guidance from DofE. Lobby groups should be out. We need a neutral safe environment and balanced and scientific teaching. I'm sure inclusion and anti-bullying is not beyond the with of schools to ensure themselves.
Sexuality is a very important part of education, but the TQ and gender ideology needs to be dropped.

Rays of sunlight 🤞

[quote PurplePikachu]Pleasant surprise! I’m a former GDST girl and will be contacting them to support this policy. If anybody else wants to show them some support (to counterbalance the trolls) you can contact them here: www.gdst.net/contact/[/quote]
Thanks from another gdst-er. Happy (and not surprised!) to see that Maya is also one.

Being at an all girls school gave a bedrock that everything was possible for me if I aimed high enough. There were frequent assemblies on the theme of 'aim for the stars and you'll reach the treetops. Aim for the treetops and you'll hit the ground.'

Female people were capable of anything.
Which very possibly contributed to my Ignorance of sexism, in thinking that the work of feminism was pretty much done by the end of the 80s and my developing horror at how precarious women's rights are globally in 2022.
I am also not convinced that my old school now having a male head is all that helpful for current pupils in terms of seeing women at the top of leadership structures... But, yes, good on the GDST - hopefully this provides a way for other female organisations to row back.

That past DfE quote, if accurate, is meaningless drivel! Except the basic message of ‘we’re not saying anything and leaving individual schools to decide what to do’.

Parliament (with government introducing the changes, eg bills put before Parliament) and legal cases determine the law. If the relevant law is genuinely absent or uncertain, then publicly funded organisations with a remit to provide advisory guidance are not being unreasonable to say that.

But here, think there IS clear existing law enabling schools to offer single sex education, so it’d be better just to say that!

From Baroness Falkner’s wiki.

“Falkner and the EHRC under her leadership have come under criticism from trans and LGBTQ+ organisations following comments she made in May 2021 to The Times, in which she said that women had the right to question transgender identity without fear of abuse, stigmatisation or loss of employment.[7][8] Her predecessor as EHRC chair, David Isaac, said the commission was politicised by the Conservative Party during her tenure.[9][10]”

The chair of the EHRC, Kishwer, Baroness Falkner of Margravine was appointed a year ago, presumably by Liz Truss and seems like ‘a good thing’.

Given the complete Stonewallisation of Government bodies and Quangos, I assume it is taking time to find a new direction. But looking good. The GDST statement and decision will open the door to them or the Government Equalities people responding. Liz Truss is very popular amongst Tory members so should have the clout to provide her and Kemi Badenoch with backing. Hopefully Nadhim Zahawi, the Education Secretary is on board as well.

But isn't the EHRC the body that publishes such guidance? If not, why did they publish anything at all before withdrawing it?

Weren't the EHRC taken to court recently (or to Judicial Review?) for promoting an interpretation of the law that completely contradicted the proviso that sex should be recognised in situations where single sex provision was appropriate? That would be why they withdrew their guidance.

I wish what happens in America were irrelevant but unfortunately our political landscape is under its influence.

Have there been any cases of single sex state schools admitting pupils of the opposite sex?

I think it depends on where you are in the world.
If you live in make believe land California, I'm sure it happens.
I'm not a believer of "it never happens".

www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/transgender-students-test-las-all-girls-schools-1029878/
From 2017
Marlborough is open to admitting students who are born male but identify as female, but it will now ask students who transition from female to male who are in grades 7 to 10 to find another school