I need help to choose between two and would appreciate the input of women here on the stonewall issue. My daughter has autism.
First school is not a sw diversity champions member, but old newsletters show they have been recently. However they don’t have a pshe policy on their website at all and googling the name of the school plus pshe policy brings up one up to date one with proposed policy on it and among other problematic outside organisations has stonewall listed as visiting. They also have stonewall visiting in the anti bullying policy to talk about homophobia and transphobia. There other policies seem somewhat stonewalled- gender instead of sex. I asked the dsl about this when visiting (she’s also the sendco). She was v indignant to be asked at all and claimed the policy didn’t say that, her name is on it, albeit under several other teachers, so maybe she wasn’t the main writer. She also claimed to have no understanding of how stonewall could possibly be a safeguarding risk. Had never heard of ssa or tt and didn’t believe that sw campaign to get rid of single sex exemptions and define homosexuality as same gender attracted. When I showed her the proof she wasn’t at all shocked -so I don’t believe she didn’t know tbh- and said I could talk to head about it. Stonewall lunch time club advertised all over school. (It has few extra curricular clubs over all, so feels like a large priority given to stonewall). Toilets single sex or unisex that meet building regulations.
Second school is a member of stonewall diversity champions. Only signed up a couple of years ago. Their pshe policy is flawless, and links the d of guidance and has a parent feed back forum on line that references the d of e guidance as compulsory. And explains to parents school must follow this. Ofsted were in recently and have praised their pshe policy especially. All policies are flawless, no stonewalling anywhere (I’ve read every one) equality law is represented accurately. Safeguarding policy is exceptional, very long and detailed but easy to read and understand. Has a peer on peer abuse policy that acknowledges that it’s mostly boys on girls. Was told they don’t give out full lesson plans for pshe but would tell everyone the organisations that come in and assured me they are always checked for working together compliance. Didn’t seem put out when I said I’d need proof. Their list of governors includes a lot of science backgrounds and safeguarding backgrounds, especially female governors. I did tell them I would be giving them information about the harm of stonewall in schools and didn’t get a horrified reaction and it seemed like they thought ofsted leaving sw dc was interesting. The only part of school it looks like stonewall has infiltrated is the online section about lgbt+ club, which no doubt means the lunch time club also. All assigned at birth and so on. But no posters etc as we went round, and school has tones of other clubs, so it doesn’t feel like it’s been given a large space proportionaly, if that makes sense. Toilets single sex or unisex that meets building regulations act.
There’s a bunch of other factors in decision, but they sort of balance out & both are outstanding schools.
So if this was your daughter with autism which would you feel more comfortable about.
I know that’s not the same as knowing all the other criteria we are weighing these up on, but based on the stonewall issue which would you choose. Ty!