If a child asks in KS3 science class "is it possible to change sex?"...

[musicalfrog]

What answer would they be given by the teacher?

Except that no-one has to have surgery or any kind of treatment to identify as transgender or to get official ID or a GRC as the opposite sex.

Jesus

I’m not a teacher. But surely this is just like asking if eye colour can be changed. The answer is no. You can do things that make it look like you have a different eye colour, but that doesn’t mean you’ve changed your eye colour as determined by genetics.

There is guidance, but as its "guidance" that makes it voluntary, schools don't have to follow it.
So it comes down to the head and what they want to do.

Linking the other thread

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5159424-if-a-child-asks-in-ks3-science-class-is-it-possible-to-change-sex?page=2

Thanks, Arabella - I sought, but was unable to find!

As soon as you look into why we know that Clownfish can change sex, you essentially have to explain how sex is defined by gamete type and that this applies to plants and animals. Once you have done that it is easy to explain how we know that mammals cannot change sex. For example, castrating a male dog does not turn the dog into a female dog beacuse a catrated male dog does not produce ova. We even have specific words for some male animals that have been castrated (eg gelding, bullock, capon etc) and neutering a female animal does not make them male as a neutered female does not produce sperm (and it is worth noting that female horses, cows and chickens are not usually neutered). Then it is simple to add the humans are mammals and refer back to the earler statement RE mammals.

@Chersfrozenface yeah. I know. I'm kind of saying what I believe the teacher should say. As in I don't want to encourage the idea of men in dress is female/ man not even bothering with dress is also female etc.