For older children, schools “should only agree to a change of pronouns if they are confident that the benefit to the individual child outweighs the impact on the school community,” the document says.
“On these rare occasions, no teacher or pupil should be compelled to use these preferred pronouns,” the guidelines advise, and a child’s differing pronouns “should not prevent teachers from referring to children collectively as ‘girls’ or ‘boys,’ even in the presence of a child that has been allowed to change their pronouns.”
“In all cases, bullying of any child must not be tolerated,” the guidance adds. “No child should be sanctioned for honest mistakes when adapting to a new way of interacting with another pupil.”
The guidance also states that, in cases where a child requests a “social transition” to a transgender identity, schools should “make parents aware of the situation” and offer assistance in finding support resources.
“It is important that the views of the child’s parents should carry great weight and be properly considered,” the guidance says. “We would expect parental consent to be required in the vast majority of cases.”
The draft guidelines also state that spaces such as bathrooms and changing rooms should be strictly maintained as single-sex.