London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

PM pledges trans guidance for schools for summer term

PM pledges trans guidance for schools for summer term

Rishi Sunak has promised schools will receive guidance on policies for transgender pupils for the summer term.
The Prime Minister intervened after a teaching union said its members were navigating a 'minefield' around gender.

He was asked about a report from a centre-right think tank Policy Exchange which looked at 154 English secondary schools.

It found only 39 of them reliably informed parents when pupils identified as trans or questioned their gender,

Eighty-seven schools found parents were not reliably informed, 14 did not provide enough detail and a further 14 chose not to respond.

The authors of the report, written as part of the think tank's Biology Matters Project, submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to 304 of England's 24,000 secondary schools.

The schools were chosen at random. Any special schools which were selected were discounted from the report as Policy Exchange said "many of the issues raised are not applicable or relevant" to them.

Schools were asked a series of questions about their policies on issues ranging from whether schools would disclose to parents as soon as a pupil 'comes out' as transgender or questions their gender, to whether children should play in sports teams that don't match their sex registered at birth. Only 154 of 304 schools responded. Not all of the schools responded to all of the questions asked.

The report claimed some schools felt disclosing information to parents about whether a questioned their gender identity, or expressed a wish to change gender, would breach the child's confidentiality.

When asked about the report during a visit to the UK Atomic Energy Authority in Oxfordshire on Thursday, Mr Sunak said he was "very concerned."

He added: "For me, the safety and wellbeing of our children is of paramount importance. I've also been clear that parents must be able to know what is being taught to their kids in school, especially on these sensitive areas.

"I'm also going to say today that for the summer term we will make sure we publish guidance for schools so that they know how to respond when children are asking about their gender.

"These are really sensitive areas, it's important that we treat them sensitively, and that parents know what's going on, and we'll make sure that that happens."

The Teaching Union Association of School and College Leaders said schools had been waiting for guidance for "several years."

ASCL General Secretary Geoff Barton said: "Schools work very hard to be sensitive to the needs of pupils questioning their gender identity, and all their pupils, by providing a supportive and caring environment, and teaching children sensitively about respectful relationships in a diverse society through RSE lessons.

"Unfortunately, they are endeavouring to do this in the context of a public minefield of strongly held and opposing views, of which this report from a think-tank is yet another example.

"Meanwhile, the government has still not produced guidance for schools on supporting pupils who identify as trans or who are questioning their gender identity, despite this having been under discussion for several years.

"This is clearly needed so that schools are able to draw on an established set of guidelines rather than constantly being caught in the crossfire between opposing views and beliefs."

A Department for Education spokesperson said its priority was the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.

"The education secretary is working closely with the minister for women and equalities to produce guidance for schools, which we will be consulting on shortly.

"In the meantime, we are clear that schools should make sure they work with parents, pupils and public services to decide what is best for individual children."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×