What do they have to teach in schools re. gender identity

[GetItRight321]

What is the legal requirement re. teaching gender identity, and what it means to be transgender, in schools, as part of PSHCE? Is it compulsory? And, what kind of issues are explored at what age? Can schools / parents opt out? What about faith schools? I realise there's a lot of info on the internet but I could do with a quick overview if such a thing exists.

I work with a group of 8-14 year olds (out of school activity), and I'd like to try and understand what they might have learned already in school. I realise their thoughts and knowledge on the issues will also be influenced by what their parents may say, and what they may hear in the playground. I'm therefore expecting range and depth of knowledge to be quite vast! But a ball park expectation would be useful.

Please don't dabble in this OP. Even if you're trained in teaching sex ed / PSHE and how to maintain boundaries, deal with disclosures and maintain age appropriate content and discussions, nobody should be opening up this discussion with a group of 8 - 14 year olds. They're developmentally and intellectually at completely different stages. Do parents know you're having these discussions?

Completely inappropriate and professionally dangerous in my opinion.

Not dabbling at all. Just want to be informed as to what they might know. Mainly in case they ask me a question (which I would deflect). And also as the breadth of what they might know is going to be large, as I've already acknowledged.

Please don't jump to conclusions. Nowhere in my post do I say, or even hint, that I'm about to have any conversations. It's just to make myself aware of what is taught and talked about in schools these days.

Your best bet is to look at the recently released guidance for schools. There is at least one thread on here about it.

For what it’s worth, and particularly with such a wide age range, I personally would not be engaging with discussions of this topic (ie, deflect, as you’ve suggested you would do) - there’s no way one approach could possibly be appropriate for all of those ages.

Thanks - I'll carry on delving around on the internet and on here. The age range really is an issue!

My apologies OP. I misunderstood your post.

I’m not sure why anyone would ask you questions about GI theory but if they did, your response should be along the lines of ‘that’s not we’re here to talk about, let’s get back to the activity’.

They know a lot about it, often garbled, almost entirely from the apps they watch. Schools vary in content but very little, maybe as much as one or two PSHE lessons a year will be turned over to the wider identity topics. My kids go to a pride flag waving school and they report everything back to me ☺️😁. Some kids themselves will be self radicalising and will have joined groups that encourage this thinking, but largely I don't think it'll even be mentioned

This is the most recent thread on the most recent guidance:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5374160-statutory-guidance-on-rse-and-health-education-now-out-from-dfe?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

Note that most schools will not have adopted this guidance yet, and so the children may have different understandings of things than you would expect, given this guidance.

Why would you know? You don't know me or the group I work with. Or the things that this particular group of kids are likely to ask. It was a simple request for information. I didn't ask 'how would I deal', did I? I'm just trying to find out what they may have learned at school if indeed there is anything specifically set out. Just read the post!

Thank you so much!

You could try the indirect approach and look at guidance and learning materials produced by campaigning organisations like TransgenderTrend, Safer Schools Alliance, Stonewall, Mermaids etc. One of the strategies they use is to produce teaching and training materials that promulgate their own position on gender ideology. Others will be able to add to or amend my very short list of organisations.