‘Vast majority’ of parents should be told if children question their gender, schools told

Just nowBranwen Jeffreys,Education EditorandNathan Standley

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Parents should be involved in the “vast majority” of cases where a child questions their gender, according to new government guidance for schools.

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.

But schools have been given some flexibility over how they deal with issues such as children’s names and uniforms.

The guidance has been backed by the author of the landmark Cass Review, Dr Hilary Cass, who said the guidance was “a huge step in the right direction”.

Her review, published in 2024, was commissioned by NHS England after it saw a sharp rise in referrals for patients questioning their gender.

Her report said the evidence around medical interventions in gender care was “remarkably weak”, and there was a lack of research available.

Cass said the new guidance was “practical and reflects the recommendations of my review, giving schools much-needed clarity on their legal duties so they can support children with confidence”.

Overall, the new guidance makes a clear distinction between a child’s wishes, and what might be in their best interests.

Schools are advised not to initiate any steps towards social transition – the process of someone changing their name, pronoun, or clothing to reflect their gender identity – and to consider carefully what else might be going on for the child, and whether other support might be needed.

There is a reminder that while some children explore different gender identities, most do not go on as adults to fully transition to a different gender from their biological sex.

Under the guidance for primary schools in particular, a full social transition would only happen “very rarely”.

“What comes across quite strongly in the guidance is that proceeding with a social transition is going to be very much the exception, rather than the rule,” Cass told the BBC.

She emphasised the importance of involving parents wherever possible, saying “children don’t thrive well when there are secrets between them and their parents”.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the new guidance would deliver “pragmatic support for teachers, reassurance for parents, and above all, the safety and wellbeing of children and young people”.

The BBC understands single-sex schools will continue to follow the current admissions code, which allows them to admit pupils only on the basis of their biological sex.

The new advice around children questioning their gender has been included in an update to existing statutory guidance for schools on how to keep children safe.

It was first promised in 2018 in England.

The long delay has left head teachers navigating one of the most contested social issues on their own.

Some have paid for legal advice, while others have taken mitigating steps such as introducing gender-neutral toilets.

Thursday’s update has been roundly welcomed by head teachers’ unions.

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said schools had done a “very good job” dealing with the issue during an “often-polarised public debate” in recent years.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the guidance would address the need for “greater clarity about how schools should manage this sensitive issue and support their pupils”.

In December 2023, the previous Conservative government had published draft guidance for consultation, which took a harder stance on some issues, including banning the use of alternate pronouns in primary school.

But that consultation was overtaken by the calling of a general election in May 2024, which ultimately led to a change of government.

A new consultation on Thursday’s updated guidance is due to run for 10 weeks.

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