Me to You LGBTQ+
Developing best practice in school
The project aimed to make St Catherine’s College, a Church of England secondary school within the Diocese of Chichester, a more LGBTQ+ inclusive school and a beacon of best practice, offering guidance to other schools on how best to support LGBTQ+ pupils with issues such as discrimination, bullying, inclusion and mental health issues.
A working group was set up with a member of the teaching staff and seven pupils who volunteered to represent the LGBTQ+ community. The group undertook a programme of work that covered: establishing LGBTQ advocates; identifying barriers faced by LGBTQ+ pupils at the college; and providing support, workshops and access to information for pupils, parents and carers on LGBTQ+ issues.
Schools, like St Catherine’s, seeking to improve their support for LGBTQ+ pupils, families and staff, can work towards the Rainbow Flag Award. This national quality assurance framework for primary, secondary and SEND schools and colleges provides a means to meet new statutory requirements to deliver inclusive Relationships and Sex Education. The award focuses on a whole-organisation approach to positive LGBT+ inclusion, as well as developing effective strategies to combat LGBT-phobic bullying. To find out more about the award, click here.
Partners: St Catherine’s College and Allsorts Youth Project
Funding source: Uni Connect (Innovation Fund)
SLN contact: Debra Vice-Holt
Duration: January 2019 to June 2019