LGBTQ+ inclusion case studies

Simon Scarborough – Crispin School, Somerset

In November 2022, the School Sports Partnership hosted a training session with Simon Scarborough, from Crispin School in Somerset, aimed at sharing his learnings around LGBTQ+ inclusivity in physical education, having found that his approach to increasing inclusion in schools had many benefits to his department.

Making PE more inclusive for LGBTQ+ students doesn’t take away from other students and Simon spoke to attendees from 13 primary schools and 16 secondary schools how he views this framework as a reasonable adjustment and strives to take gender out of PE and runs a gender-neutral curriculum throughout Key Stage 3 and 4.

By splitting classes into two groups – competitive and wellbeing focusses – young people can choose where they would like to go, meaning that students who already take part in extra-curricular sports clubs can use this time to focus on their wellbeing while others can work on improving. Giving students this choice has resulted in higher retention and promoted enjoyment of PE.

The next step will be more cubicle-style changing rooms for which he has been awarded funding, which will also benefit young people with low body confidence; something that has become more prevalent since lockdown.

Throughout the course, there was meaningful discussion of how terminology can affect young people and how even small changes can affect some of the students that attendees were working with. Attendees discussed how traditional approaches in schools can be changed to be more inclusive, such as creating safe spaces to change for PE classes, clear and appropriate signage on accessible toilets, and splitting queueing systems into alphabetical order rather than by gender. Following the session, a selection of schools were given rainbow laces to use in a project with their groups at school, showing allyship and support.

Simon’s efforts haven’t been without barriers and the biggest so far has been opposition from a small number of parents to the Pride Run the school hosts, but this has created the opportunity for much-needed dialogue and discussion.

The feedback from the session was overwhelmingly positive, with Laurus Rycroft High School confirming that it will support their gender neutral curriculum policy and planning, and Greenside Primary School stating that the ‘brilliant course’ will help construct and change their existing policy.

As noted by attendees on the day, this is an important area and we don’t have all the answers, but opportunities for shared learning and discussion are key.

'What a great course- loved it. We are going to change a few things back at school that will reassure our pupils that we are a safe place for pupils and a school that welcomes everyone' – Audenshaw Primary School, Greater Manchester