LGBT inclusive education benefits everyone by creating a safe and supportive environment for all learners, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender. This approach integrates LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people and history into Scotland’s curriculum, addressing past exclusion and underrepresentation. It helps learners see LGBT people as equal members of society and ensures LGBT young people feel included in their education.

It also equips schools to tackle prejudice and bullying faced by LGBT students, those perceived to be LGBT, or those with LGBT family members. Homophobia in particular remains a common form of prejudice experienced by children and young people at school.

By raising awareness and fostering respect for the diversity within Scotland’s communities, it encourages young people to view everyone as equal. Promoting respect for differences helps build empathy and prevent bullying. This approach aligns with how educators address other forms of inclusion, such as race, disability, gender, and religion.

LGBT inclusive education links closely to children’s rights in Scotland, including freedom from discrimination, the right to education, and the right to be heard. LGBT inclusive education and the United Nation’s Conventions on the Rights of the Child work hand in hand to promote equality, safety, and inclusion, ensuring children’s rights are protected and respected.

It also aligns with the Respect for All approach to anti-bullying (gov.scot). This supports the development of a school curriculum which fosters good relations by including meaningful, integrated representation of all protected characteristics and opportunities for organic learning about diverse people, families and communities in society.

National guidance

The National Guidance on LGBT Inclusive Education sets out the ‘National Approach to LGBT Inclusive Education’ and includes content relating to professional learning, what LGBT Inclusive Education looks like in practice, and how it connects to broader education in Scotland. LGBT inclusive education is suitable for the age and stage of children and is part of everyday teaching. What is taught at primary school is different to secondary. How this looks in practice will be decided by the school, examples might include:

• In the early primary, a story time book read throughout the year features a family with two mums or two dads.

• An explanation of prejudice and discrimination may be introduced in upper primary school.

• At secondary school, social subjects might include learning about equality in more depth, such as the history of LGBT equality movements.

• At secondary school, books or plays might include LGBT characters, themes or be written by LGBT authors.

However learning is delivered, it should be factual, objective and balanced.