Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether forthcoming guidance for schools on supporting trans pupils will include guidance on protecting pupils from transphobic bullying.

The Government is clear that bullying should never be tolerated, and the Department is committed to supporting schools to tackle it. The Department provides advice for schools outlining schools’ responsibilities. The ‘Preventing bullying’ guidance makes clear that schools should make appropriate provision for a bullied child's social, emotional, and mental health needs. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preventing-and-tackling-bullying.

The Department knows that gender is a complex and sensitive issue. The Department is working with my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Women and Equalities, to develop guidance to support schools in relation to gender questioning pupils. A draft for consultation will be published later in the summer term.

The Department is providing over £2 million of funding between 10 August 2021 and 31 March 2023 to five anti-bullying organisations to support schools to tackle bullying. This includes projects targeting bullying of particular groups, such as those who are victims of hate related bullying and homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic bullying.

The Department is also ensuring that all pupils in England are taught content on respectful relationships, in person and online, as part of new mandatory relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). These subjects are designed to give pupils the knowledge they need to lead happy, safe, and healthy lives and to foster respect for other people and difference.

All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy that outlines measures to encourage good behaviour and prevent all forms of bullying amongst pupils. The policy should set out the behaviour expected of pupils, the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour, and rewards for good behaviour. This should be communicated to all pupils, school staff, and parents. This is supported by ‘Respectful School Communities’, a self review and signposting tool to support schools to develop a whole school approach which promotes respect and discipline. This tool can combat bullying, harassment, and prejudice of any kind, including hate based bullying, and is available at: https://educateagainsthate.com/resources/respectful-school-communities-self-review-signposting-tool-2/.