School’s lavatories to go gender-neutral ready for trans pupils

Gender-neutral lavatories are set to be installed at an all-girl school in case any pupils decide to transition.

Carol Chandler-thompson, head of Blackheath High School in London, said the move followed requests from students.

She said she wanted to ensure there was “a safe space” for pupils to discuss issues relating to gender identity, sexual orientation and racial identity.

“Things are moving quite rapidly,” she added.

Girls at the school have previously succeeded in persuading Mrs Chandler-thompson to allow them to wear trousers as part of the school’s uniform.

The head said although there were no transgender children at school at present, and no female pupils transitioning to become boys, she expected there would be soon. The £16,000-a-year school, part of the Girls’ Day School Trust, is undergoing construction work.

“If we are introducing a single lavatory why would you put a gender on it?” Mrs Chandler-thompson asked. “We are obviously a girls’ school but we may have young people who are transitioning here and we would support that.”

She added that the teachers at the school have “intelligent conversations” with pupils about what kind of language is used in the classroom. “When we say ‘ask your mum to sign the homework planner’ what assumptions are we making without thinking?” she said.

On the issue of genderneutral

‘If we introduce a single lavatory why would you put a gender on it?’

lavatories, she said she would look at whether it was “practical and desirable”.

She said the school had an admissions policy whereby it could only accept pupils into the school based on their legal sex. But if a girl were to transition while at school, they would be supported.

“We would help them see out their education, making sure they can fulfil their own potential,” she said.