Only a quarter of classroom primary school teachers would feel “very confident” and “comfortable” explaining their school’s approach to LGBT+ teaching to parents, according to a poll.
Just over half of classroom teachers surveyed would have some hesitation about being able to explain to parents why their school teaches LGBT+ topics.
The findings also show that just over one in six would feel either “not very confident” or “not at all confident” in doing so.
The have been published today by charity Just Like Us, as it launches a guide to help teachers talk to parents of primary pupils about the teaching of LGBT+ issues.
The charity said that its guide, Bringing Families With You: Talking to parents about LGBT+ inclusion in primary school, provides teachers with tips on how to have conversations and address the common concerns around age appropriateness, faith and gender identity.
The guide, which has been produced with the NSPCC charity, also covers how to have conversations with parents and carers of pupils who are bullying LGBT+ peers or using homophobic language, as well as how teachers can support children from LGBT+ families.
Staff ‘hesitant’ to discuss LGBT+ issues
Statutory government guidance strongly encourages primary schools “to teach about healthy loving relationships, and to include same-sex parents along with other family arrangements when discussing families”.
But the charity guide warns that teachers have concerns about this.
One teacher told the charity: “There’s very much a hesitance to talk about LGBT+ issues amongst staff to students and also amongst staff to parents.
“I think a lot of staff feel that conversation is something they are completely unprepared for, and that’s why this guide is so necessary.”
Leaders more confident than teachers
The Teacher Tapp poll asked teachers and leaders in primary schools the question: A parent stops you at the school gate and asks you to explain why you teach LGBT+ topics in your school. How confident would you feel replying?
It shows that leaders are more confident than classroom teachers on this question.
Only 25 per cent of classroom teachers said they would feel very confident and comfortable, but for headteachers the figure was 40 per cent.
Early years and key stage 1 teachers, who were grouped for this research, are even less likely to feel fully equipped to handle these questions: 23 per cent feel very confident, compared with 29 per cent of KS2 teachers.
When looking at responses from all teachers and leaders, 31 per cent said they would feel very confident and would be comfortable handling the question.
Half of teachers and leaders said they would feel fairly confident and would do it, but with some hesitation.
The poll also found that 11 per cent would not feel very confident and would struggle with this, while 3 per cent said they would feel not at all confident.
Regional differences
The Teacher Tapp poll also showed regional differences in the responses.
In London, 39 per cent of teachers and leaders would feel very confident and comfortable, compared with 26 per cent in the Midlands and 27 per cent in the South East.
Teacher Tapp’s poll received 3,415 responses from primary school teachers and leaders.
Laura Mackay, CEO of Just Like Us, said: “Building trust and having open communication with pupils’ families is especially vital in a primary setting, where you’re likely to cross paths every school day.
“However, our new research shows that when it comes to discussing LGBT+ inclusion, many teachers are nervous or struggling.”
She added that the guide aims to give teachers “the tools they need to explain the value of LGBT+ inclusion, demystify what it looks like in their school and, crucially, continue to build positive relationships with pupils’ families”.
Kay Joel, senior consultant at the NSPCC, said: “This guide strikes the right tone in that it is practical and clear. It’s great to be able to be involved in such a timely and necessary resource.”
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