Tackling LGBT prejudice

Corelli College Co-operative Academy originally had a fairly pervasive culture of homophobia. However, over the last decade the college has been involved in changing that culture through a range of approaches. Our college, a fully inclusive academy in an area of high level deprivation in south east London, has achieved a sophisticated understanding of LGBT issues among students and staff and is now recognised as a Stonewall Champion School. Here, we offer our advice to other schools.

Start with the staff and challenging homophobia. Everyone needs training, both general and specific, on how best to deal with the kind of homophobic incidents they encounter in their day-to-day duties. This should include an understanding of a whole-institution equality and non-discrimination policy and of what actually is homophobia – staff need to know what words and actions are considered homophobic and how to best deal with situations that occur regularly. You need to have a zero-tolerance attitude.