Ofsted cites lack of gender identity lessons as factor in primary school grading

[ChristinaXYZ]

"Analysis of pre-Covid inspections show that teaching about gender issues played a part in determining schools’ final grades

Ofsted inspectors have cited the lack of “gender identity” teaching as a contributing factor in downgrading primary schools, The Telegraph can reveal.
England’s schools watchdog has been accused of “pushing unscientific nonsense” in schools by suggesting that teachers use a contentious concept which is backed by transgender activist groups.

Analysis of pre-Covid Ofsted inspection reports in 2019 and 2020 revealed that when two primary schools were given “requires improvement” grades, the second-lowest, it was mentioned prominently in their reports that pupils do not learn about “gender identity” or “gender diversity”.

In a third school teaching pupils aged three to 16, which Ofsted graded “inadequate”, the lowest mark, the lack of “gender reassignment” teaching was mentioned.

In a fourth school, a secondary, inspectors identified the lack of teaching “gender identity”."

more on
telegraph website

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/06/18/ofsted-cites-lack-gender-identity-lessons-factor-primary-school/

My DC's school has just got outstanding so this makes me concerned! They have them redesigning toilet logos at the moment. Im going to speak to the teacher this week to see what the actual lesson was.

Oh, for fucking crying out loud! Can someone kill this fucking nonsense with fire?

The world has gone mad.

It’s behind a pay wall. Can you name the school?

Some kind soul has archived it: web.archive.org/web/20220618190605/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/06/18/ofsted-cites-lack-gender-identity-lessons-factor-primary-school/

Telegraph stories are often in the archives very quickly.

When I read the thread title I wondered whether this was actually about faith schools, and it is. Of the three schools mentioned, one is a Jewish school, another is a Catholic school. The government is starting to come down quite hard on faith schools, and quite rightly so. Not for teaching a faith, but for avoiding integration in British society.

However, for Ofsted to focus on gender identity is for them to entirely miss the point. One of Ofsted's problems with faith schools is that they focus unconditionally on one belief, not allowing divergence from that belief and its ethos. So why on earth does Ofsted demand that they teach a different unsubstantiated belief that banns all divergence from its catechism? Not only that, but gender ideology is totally at odds with the established religion that the school follows - Ofsted might as will object that the Jewish school does not teach the Catechism and that the Catholic school does not keep kosher.

Ofsted:

They sound like good schools.

‘The government is starting to come down quite hard on faith schools, and quite rightly so. Not for teaching a faith, but for avoiding integration in British society.’

When ‘integration’ means outright teaching things that are in conflict with your faith, it’s not integration, it’s compelled belief. People have the right to educate their families within their religions. Yes, there should be oversight by secular authorities, and there is (schools have to be inspected), but they shouldn’t have the right to force particular teachings that contradict people’s beliefs.

‘One of Ofsted's problems with faith schools is that they focus unconditionally on one belief, not allowing divergence from that belief and its ethos.’

Some (inadequate) schools do this. I attended a faith school and was taught tolerance and freedom of choice in matters of belief, within the context of my faith. There’s nothing wrong with that.

I wouldn't really trust Ofsted as political motivations have always swayed their grading.

Locally I've seen private schools judged much more harshly by Ofsted, and anything that relates to equality seems to be where Ofsted can really attack.

My dd's primary has just had Ofsted. No mention of gender at all, but lots about general inclusion, which given the make up of the school (very high % have English as a second language) I would hope was a given.

When ‘integration’ means outright teaching things that are in conflict with your faith, it’s not integration, it’s compelled belief. People have the right to educate their families within their religions.

How do you square the legal view on homosexuality with the Bible view on it? They are in direct conflict.

There has to be middle ground between educating within the religion and the society we live in. Ofsted is right to oversee the religious schools that choose to ignore society and the law, but gender ideology is not the issue.

I do not defend the right of faith schools to teach the Bible view of homosexuality, but I absolutely defend their right not to teach gender ideology.

@JellySaurus

The problem these schools are facing is that ofsted demands an itemised teaching of respect rather than a general one. It's not enough to teach children to respect everyone, but they have to be specifically taught respect homosexuals, transgenders, etc etc.

Most Jewish schools don't talk about sexuality at all, at least not in primary schools (and many not even in secondary schools). They believe in abstinence until marriage (which usually happens round about 19-20), and genders are kept distinctly separate in most settings.

It's not as if children are taught homosexuality is wrong. Sex and sexuality simply isn't discussed. For ofsted to demand they specifically teach kids to respect homosexuals is ludicrous. It will just never happen.

This is probably linked to the RSE statutory guidance which STILL lists gender identity when it shouldn't. The non-statutory guide to RSE lessons is better but of course doesn't have the same status. And we know how Stonewalled DfE and Ofsted both officially were.

How unofficially are they now? Perhaps this story provides a clue.

"People have the right to educate their families within their religions. Yes, there should be oversight by secular authorities, and there is (schools have to be inspected), but they shouldn’t have the right to force particular teachings that contradict people’s beliefs."

They do at the moment.
I'm not sure how far they will continue to have that right with the new Schools Bill that is going through at the moment.

I don't think there is as much conflict as you think. A Jewish school could teach its pupils "We Jews believe it's wrong to eat pork, but most people aren't Jewish so be prepared that they will be eating pork and you've no right to try to stop them". I don't think anyone could say that school was going against British values. So I don't see how it's a problem for a Christian school to teach "We Christians believe homosexual acts are against God's will. But most people aren't Christian and homosexuality is legal in this country and you've no right to try to stop people being gay/lesbian."

It's definitely a different issue to gender ideology, but I see some similarities. Namely, some people aren't satisfied to have the freedom to live/act/dress as they wish; they want to be universally approved and think it should be illegal for anyone to disagree with them.

I agree, justgotosleepffs, but the religious schools that are of concern are unlikely to teach even that degree of tolerance, if it is mentioned at all. If sex and sexuality are not even discussed, the children are not being equipped to function safely in society. But that's the point, for deeply religious schools: they do not want their children to integrate into wider society, but to remain within their closed society.

This is what Ofsted should be focusing on.

@JellySaurus why do you feel that are they unlikely to teach that degree of tolerance?

I agree with you that it's a problem if schools are fostering xenophobia or discouraging integration. But most of what I have observed is faith schools being categorically prevented from teaching the view I mentioned in my previous post (i.e this faith believes that homosexuality is wrong - along with sex before marriage/eating pork/drinking alcohol/whatever - but not everyone believes the same as you). Even with the Muslim parents outside the schools in Birmingham, they weren't waving placards outside abortion clinics or gay bars trying to get the wider world to behave differently, they were outside schools trying to take back control of what was being taught to their own children.

And I think the general of the idea that it's not enough for religious to let gay people/abortion clinics/etc get on with it but they have to actively agree with them, has paved the way for the current intolerance towards gender criticsl feminism. Because if it's not okay for a Christian to believe that homosexuality is sinful whilst still respecting gay people's right to live as they please, then how can it be okay for a feminist to believe transwomen are men but still respect their right to live/dress/present however they please?

Is there a reason why reports from 2019 are being analysed, rather than more recent inspections?

And who is the analysis by? Sex matters?