Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Guidance for schools in BBC news

207 replies

WallaceinAnderland · 12/02/2026 15:05

'The legally-binding advice for all schools in England also says there are "no exceptions" for single-sex facilities, including toilets and changing rooms, with single-sex sports also protected.'

Vast Majority of parents should be told if pupils question their gender

A parent kneels in a modern kitchen, holding and comforting a school‑aged child who is wearing a uniform and a large backpack, as they share a close and supportive moment.

Tell parents if pupils question gender at school, government says

School leaders welcome the "greater clarity" on how to handle the polarising issue for parents and pupils.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2k809vnx0yo

OP posts:
Thread gallery
17
WarriorN · 13/02/2026 12:22

Wow Amanda Speilman was excellent

mentioned “coaching industry of children to know what to say to get what they want” wrt the exceptions for some children who might say they feel unsafe at home

Brought up compelled speech and pronouns too

🎯

Hoardasurass · 13/02/2026 12:24

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 13/02/2026 07:03

Comments from actual teachers, rather than just swivel eyed loons, are way more concerning.

https://www.reddit.com/r/TeachingUK/comments/1r2y1ht/vast_majority_of_parents_should_be_involved_if/

I really hope this one follows through on his threats asap

Guidance for schools in BBC news
EasternStandard · 13/02/2026 13:08

ItsCoolForCats · 13/02/2026 10:36

I've just listened to the Today Programme interviews about this. Thanks to the pp who mentioned them. The former head of Ofsted (Baroness Spielman?) was great at highlighting some of the concerns, e.g that children will be coached online by activists, influencers etc. on what to say to schools, e.g. that they feel unsafe, and then this will be used to keep parents in the dark.

Yes I heard that and agree.

EasternStandard · 13/02/2026 13:17

I’m also really annoyed and upset the allowance for primary age children to ‘socially transition’ looks like it’s being relaxed.

What a mess.

noblegiraffe · 13/02/2026 13:27

WarriorN · 13/02/2026 09:49

honestly, this is going to take a long time to get sorted. putting it directly in kcsie is brailliant - I’m so glad this wasn’t an add on which gives the impression schools can ignore it

more parents are going to have to kick up a fuss.

it does mean Ofsted will check policies on this. Policies will have to be in line with kcsie. And be ready for sept 26.

hence the pre release.

Don’t count on this.

Remember the Tories released trans guidance for schools for consultation and that was also referred to in KCSIE but the consultation finished, the guidance was never approved and the KCSIE bit that refers to gender was still up in the air when we were being trained on it.

This guidance for schools has been such a political mess that even this consultation could end up with nothing at the end of it.

ScrollingLeaves · 13/02/2026 13:38

EasternStandard · 13/02/2026 13:17

I’m also really annoyed and upset the allowance for primary age children to ‘socially transition’ looks like it’s being relaxed.

What a mess.

Yes. They are forgetting that many schools and their staff, as well as some parents, are captured.

It seems they are trying to capitulate enough to forestall a backlash from tras.

mateysmum · 13/02/2026 13:45

@SingleSexSpacesInSchools If I was you I wouldn't be able to resist doing school pick up in a T shirt bearing the words "I told you so" in biggly letters.

FranticFrankie · 13/02/2026 13:54

JV R2 spoke to 2 mums of 'Transkids' and he gave them plenty of time to speak without much interruption. Usual son wanting a doll, knew from an early age etc etc

The lady opposing this view was given considerably less time and was interrupted, especially when she challenged JV's use of pronouns.
The proud lesbian calling in was great 👍 talking sense

I think the Oasis academies man I referred to upthread was Steve Chalke, talking about toilets in new buildings being floor -to -ceiling -enclosed

SingleSexSpacesInSchools · 13/02/2026 14:05

mateysmum · 13/02/2026 13:45

@SingleSexSpacesInSchools If I was you I wouldn't be able to resist doing school pick up in a T shirt bearing the words "I told you so" in biggly letters.

I am not at all above this sort of behaviour

Binglebong · 13/02/2026 14:13

I yelled at BBC news last night - the reporter said that school can have single sex spaces, not must. One word makes a huge difference.

DrBlackbird · 13/02/2026 14:31

In particular it gives an LA the right to refuse parents the right to withdraw their children from a school if the child has SEND, and to insist that the child attends the school they name. As many children with SEND are now homeschooled because their placements broke down and the LA wouldn't/couldn't provide better or accept the child's need, or because the child became so distressed and unwilling to go in that the parent withdrew them for the child's safety and mental health - medication and actual serious harm can be involved - that's worrying power over parents.

That is dreadful. And elitist. As if the only children allowed to be home schooled are the ones who would’ve done okay academically in any event. The reality is that a significant percentage of home schooled kids are with Send and many are autistic and were badly bullied in school.

ScrollingLeaves · 13/02/2026 14:45

Binglebong · 13/02/2026 14:13

I yelled at BBC news last night - the reporter said that school can have single sex spaces, not must. One word makes a huge difference.

Please put in a complaint.

sharpshape · 13/02/2026 15:00

crascenda · 12/02/2026 15:20

On the face of it, if socially transitioning at school doesn't interfere with sex segregated spaces, it might not be the worst guidance in that respect.

But I would have to know more about what it actually means!

This is the problem that women on here have been saying for ages.

You can’t legislate for something if it can’t be defined accurately or indeed at all.

If we can’t define what it means to transition then you can’t protect anyone. Either side.

AirborneElephant · 13/02/2026 15:30

Notmymarmosets · 13/02/2026 10:05

That's not transitioning. And in this country the chances of this sort of medical error occurring is vanishingly small. Are you thinking of males like Caster Semenya?

Yes I was. Agree that’s not “transitioning” in the trans sense, but if sex is defined as it is in this guidance as the sex originally on the birth certificate it is included. Plus there are a very, very small number of cases of complex learning and mental difficulties where possibly the best thing for that individual child is to enable/accept some degree of social transition (although in the vast majority of those cases a name and a relaxed dress code would be as much as I would support). And while I agree it’s very small numbers and that for births in this country DSDs are almost certainly going to be diagnosed immediately, some children do immigrate and some parents want very minimal or no medical intervention at birth, and that is their right. I agree that the existence of a tiny minority does not justify putting children at risk at all. I just feel that as soon as you say “never” there is going to be one case that challenges that.

BonfireLady · 13/02/2026 16:39

Ereshkigalangcleg · 12/02/2026 16:31

This part is great

It clearly sets out that single sex spaces must be protected. Without exception, no child should be made to feel unsafe through inappropriate mixed sex sport, and there should be no sharing of school and college toilet facilities over eight years old or mixed sex sleeping arrangements on trips.

Unfortunately the wording in this section doesn't explain what an "inappropriate mixed-sex sport" is. The Gender Questioning Children guidance went further on this and it's a shame that that has been lost.

As an example, my daughters' school thinks it's entirely appropriate to make all PE lessons mixed-sex. They say it fosters inclusion, completely ignoring the fact that many girls (as some parents have told me) feel excluded because they don't feel safe.

Eventually, the school decided that in football lessons they will separate by sex in the higher ability PE set. When I pointed out that lower ability boys also posed a risk to girls because of the difference in their physical attributes (particularly from puberty), this was ignored. It seems obvious that a boy of lower ability could be even more of a risk in some ways, as he doesn't have the skills to understand how to approach a tackle etc.

It's a good example of a school removing single sex provisions - all PE lessons used to be single sex in this school - as a way to both meet the law and (should they wish to do so....) to continue to obfuscate on the difference between the sexes. It leaves space for schools to pretend that this difference really doesn't matter, even where it impacts issues like safety in sport. Thankfully, the guidance makes it clear that they can't extrapolate this logic across to changing rooms, toilets and residential accommodation.

But it seems like safe access to sport is no longer a requirement in school.
The KCSIE and other (e.g. "gender separation in mixed schools") guidance on mixed-sex provision in school sports leaves it entirely down to the school to decide what is appropriate when it comes to safety.

WarriorN · 13/02/2026 16:46

FranticFrankie · 13/02/2026 13:54

JV R2 spoke to 2 mums of 'Transkids' and he gave them plenty of time to speak without much interruption. Usual son wanting a doll, knew from an early age etc etc

The lady opposing this view was given considerably less time and was interrupted, especially when she challenged JV's use of pronouns.
The proud lesbian calling in was great 👍 talking sense

I think the Oasis academies man I referred to upthread was Steve Chalke, talking about toilets in new buildings being floor -to -ceiling -enclosed

steve is awful - nothing to see here type bloke. Doesn’t get it at all.

bbc love him though and get him on for everything.

thankfully the guidance does at least spell out very clearly that boys can want dolls etc!

Binglebong · 13/02/2026 16:59

ScrollingLeaves · 13/02/2026 14:45

Please put in a complaint.

It was live to camera. At best they would say she "misspoke".

ScrollingLeaves · 13/02/2026 17:21

AirborneElephant · 13/02/2026 15:30

Yes I was. Agree that’s not “transitioning” in the trans sense, but if sex is defined as it is in this guidance as the sex originally on the birth certificate it is included. Plus there are a very, very small number of cases of complex learning and mental difficulties where possibly the best thing for that individual child is to enable/accept some degree of social transition (although in the vast majority of those cases a name and a relaxed dress code would be as much as I would support). And while I agree it’s very small numbers and that for births in this country DSDs are almost certainly going to be diagnosed immediately, some children do immigrate and some parents want very minimal or no medical intervention at birth, and that is their right. I agree that the existence of a tiny minority does not justify putting children at risk at all. I just feel that as soon as you say “never” there is going to be one case that challenges that.

In that case it would be possible in practice for the Secretary for Education to make some exception. It would be something like one child a year, if that in the U.K.

BonfireLady · 13/02/2026 17:32

OpheliaWitchoftheWoods · 12/02/2026 16:56

My bolding

  1. As children get older, some sports are typically taught and played in single sex groups.27 The Equality Act 2010 contains an exception in relation to single-sex sport. It applies to participation in any sport or game, or activity of a competitive nature, where the physical strength, stamina or physique of the average girl would put her at a disadvantage in competition with the average boy (or vice versa). This means that schools and colleges can separate children according to their biological sex in these circumstances without discriminating unlawfully against them on the basis of their sex.

  2. Some sports may need to be played in single-sex groups from a certain age to ensure children’s safety, and where this is the case there should be no exceptions. In other cases, schools or colleges may have adopted a policy of single-sex sports for reasons related to fairness.

  3. Where there are no safety concerns and a child makes a request relating to how they participate, schools and colleges will need to consider the request in light of the advice on “considering requests for support with social transition”. This means that the school or college would need to take into account all the relevant factors, including whether supporting social transition is overall in the best interests of the child, as well as considering the impact on other children and the aim of creating safe and fair environments for children to participate in PE.

So initially very clear, but then some case by case and wiggly lines there, nothing specific on which sports exactly are single sex. Which as we all know means endless wangling on whether or not it is really unsafe - which we heard when Khalif was permitted to batter women on tv.

Just seen this ⬆️ Unfortunately this paragraph ⬇️ still allows schools to decide that all sports can be mixed- sex if they decide that this is appropriate.

Some sports may need to be played in single-sex groups from a certain age to ensure children’s safety, and where this is the case there should be no exceptions. In other cases, schools or colleges may have adopted a policy of single-sex sports for reasons related to fairness.

I wish the word "may" wasn't there and that it was clearer that all contact and some semi-contact team sports need to be single-sex for safety.

Boys are faster and stronger than girls on average. Also, on average, girls' bones are less dense. Put that together in a competitive game in mixed-sex PE and it's a recipe for an injury.

RedToothBrush · 13/02/2026 17:39

The Fail are running a 'poll' on whether children should be allowed to transition today. Now it SHOULD be a total whitewash because of where it is and because we know the results of that YouGov poll (less than 12% say under 18 should be allowed to medically transition).

But this is about 'transition' more generally - and the article is about social transition.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15556653/Poll-primary-school-children-change-gender.html

It's currently running at 98% against with only 285 people saying yes. Even for the Fail I'm finding that high as I'd expect a gaming by TRAs to be going on but it doesn't seem to be.

Even allowing for the audience im surprised at the numbers.

Should primary school children be allowed to change their gender?

Labour has opened the door to primary school children changing their gender as long-awaited trans guidance finally arrived - watered down from previous proposals.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15556653/Poll-primary-school-children-change-gender.html

BonfireLady · 13/02/2026 17:50

blibblibs · 12/02/2026 17:33

It feels a bit ironic that this has come out on the day DD16 has informed me after the fact that she's sent the forms off to change her name with help from school. I fucking hate this ideology 😔

Sending 💪 and 💐

I know that doesn't change anything about your situation but hopefully it helps to know that you're being heard.

This is a scenario I dread. It's clear to me that the school believes I'm a risk to my daughter (because I don't believe that everyone has a gender identity and because I advocate for the removal of conflation of autism/gender identity and LGB/gender identity) and it's also clear to me that there are a number of activist teachers at her school that would quietly chip away in her ear given half the chance. It's entirely possible that they already are doing. It's heartbreaking to read about something similar that may have been happening to another mum's daughter 💐

The second of these two paragraphs of the draft 2026 KCSIE guidance ⬇️ left me feeling cold at the prospect of a teacher quietly leading a vulnerable child towards social transition and then the parents finding out once this outcome had already been decided. Potentially just like your daughter's situation. There is no clarity to stop a school saying that the forms that your daughter has filled in are the start of a request to socially transition and that following this submission, you will now be brought into the conversation. This wording really needs to change:

262. Schools and colleges should explore how best to support these conversations, including offering a staff member to be present or to speak to parents or carers on the child’s behalf. However, in the rare circumstances where involving parents or carers would constitute a greater risk to the child than not involving them, the school or college should involve their Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to determine what action is needed to safeguard the child, before the parents are contacted or any decisions are taken.

263. The advice above applies in cases where a child has requested support with social transition. In cases where a child confides in a member of staff about their feelings but does not ask the school or college to make changes to how they are treated, there is no reason to break any confidence unless there is a related safeguarding risk.

ItsCoolForCats · 13/02/2026 18:11

Helen Joyce was just talking about this on the Tom Swarbrick show on LBC and she was great. Someone called Cleo from Gendered Intelligence was also on (not so great).

BeKindWisely · 13/02/2026 19:45

Not RTFT so may have already come up-
This is bringing to mind that heated debate between Caroline Nokes and Kemi Badenoch about school trips and single sex accommodation etc a good few years ago.
Would love to see that again now in light of this.
Tried to find it but couldn't!

Talkinpeace · 13/02/2026 19:48

WarriorN · 13/02/2026 16:46

steve is awful - nothing to see here type bloke. Doesn’t get it at all.

bbc love him though and get him on for everything.

thankfully the guidance does at least spell out very clearly that boys can want dolls etc!

Toilets in Oasis schools force girls and boys to use the same hand washing area.
Steve Chalke's schools are breaking the law.

Its going to be a massive job to bring them into compliance though.