Best Practice

Preventing LGBTQ+ bullying in schools: Five evidence-based tips

Anti-Bullying Pupil wellbeing Safeguarding Behaviour Pastoral issues
Almost half of all LGBT pupils still face bullying at school. Teacher Elinor Williams offers five evidence-based tips to help schools be proactive in tackling homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia by creating inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ students
Image: Adobe Stock

“I think it surprised me how homophobic people were.”

These are the words of the fictional Charlie Spring, protagonist of the heart-rending and uplifting queer drama series Heartstopper, but his words speak to the reality of thousands of LGBTQ+ youth in Britain’s schools.

“I thought things were better nowadays,” he goes on to say, his voice shaking with anxiety and shame.

As an LGBTQ+ teacher, this was the line that hit the hardest. It is the line I hear from my LGBTQ+ friends and allies when I speak to them about the ways I have seen queer and trans students treated in schools today.

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