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Yet it's vital that we break down the stigma around sex education and gender identity. It shouldn't be a taboo topic; without informed conversations, we risk children growing up without the facts and in some cases, embarrassed about their sexuality.
Engaging primary children with topics such as homophobia and prejudice can seem daunting, however it's important to put the learning into context. During my Pride month lessons, I asked children what they know about being LGBT+, where have they seen people identifying as LGBT+ in the community, or in the media and encouraging them to ask any questions.
While representation of LGBT+ characters in TV and film is steadily improving, there's still a long way to go. This lack of representation has a knock-on effect for children's perceptions of different sexualities. Our school is also located in a community with high levels of deprivation, and many of our pupils have limited opportunities to travel and experience the wider world.
Giving pupils the opportunity to share opinions and ask questions is key to helping them develop an informed understanding about gender and sexual orientation.
I believe it is vital to use all sorts of resources to bring the LGBT+ community to life, and importantly open pupils' eyes to the world beyond Gravesend. I've used clips from the Netflix series and graphic novel
Heartstopper to explore gay relationships, teenage friendships and bullying. The series follows a young male student as he navigates romance with his classmate and deals with homophobia and prejudice from peers. After watching the clips, pupils discussed how we can change the minds of bullies, and what they can do in school to better support and become an ally to peers who identify as LGBT+.
