Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills visits school

August 25, 2023

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills visits school

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth MSP, visited Castleton Primary School in Glasgow on August 22, as the school became the first school in Scotland to evaluate their implementation of LGBT Inclusive Education.

Castleton Primary has shown positive results in reducing anti-LGBT prejudice and bullying. Being awarded “Achievement” level of the national LGBT Inclusive Education Implementation and Evaluation Toolkit ensures they have met the Scottish Government’s expectations. Obtaining this certification means that Castleton has:

fully completed both stages of the Delivering LGBT Inclusive Education staff CPD
consulted with their school community including teachers, pupils, and parents, to ensure they are considering the voices of young people in their approach
planned, developed, and implemented LGBT Inclusive Education in their school
monitored the effectiveness and ensured the sustainability of this work in their school

To mark the occasion, Jenny Gilruth MSP visited the school to speak with the learners and staff about the work the school has been doing and discuss the positive changes they have seen since implementing LGBT Inclusive Education.

I was very pleased to visit Castleton Primary School which is the first in Scotland to fully embed LGBT inclusive education right across the curriculum. Many schools across the country already take positive steps to educate learners about LGBT identities and issues but this is an important milestone. We will continue to do all we can to help young people to reach their full potential in a diverse and inclusive society.

We know that this approach has already improved experiences for many young people, with pupils reporting fewer instances of anti-LGBT behaviour, language, and bullying, both in school and the wider community. It is clear that this inclusive approach to education is already delivering real results for young people.

Scotland’s education system must support everyone, and it is vital the curriculum is as diverse as the young people who learn in our schools. The inspirational work being undertaken at Castleton and schools like it across the country highlight how inclusive education can help to stamp out prejudice and I look forward to seeing further progress on this work in the coming months and years.”

Jenny Gilruth MSP Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills

The Toolkit is a resource to support teachers. It can be used as a guide to implementing LGBT Inclusive Education throughout the school setting, including; how to collaborate with colleagues, how to engage with the CPD, and how to plan an LGBT inclusive curriculum that will benefit all learners.

The Toolkit has been developed with Scottish teachers. Engaging with the Toolkit allows teachers and schools to be directly supported by us. Schools will progress through three distinct sections: Journey, Achievement, and Excellence. Schools should reach “Achievement” to meet the requirements of the National Approach to LGBT Inclusive Education in their own setting.

LGBT Inclusive Education supports schools to proactively address homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic prejudice and bullying, and ensures that young people see themselves, their families and the world around them in what they learn. We have been privileged to work with Castleton Primary School to take this forward, and are encouraged by reports from pupils and teachers about the positive impact that this has had on their school experiences.

Schools in Scotland have free access to professional learning, teaching resources, and a structured implementation Toolkit, provided by the Scottish Government, and we would encourage all teachers to engage with these resources to begin improving outcomes for LGBT young people and families in their school community."

Jordan Daly Co-Founder / Director, Time for Inclusive Education (TIE)

You can find out more about the Toolkit here. Teachers can register on the national platform for LGBT Inclusive Education to begin the Toolkit here.