The Rainbow Flag Award

Christ Church provides excellent examples of how ‘faith based’ schools can also teach about LGBT+ identities alongside religion and other cultures.

The Rainbow Flag Award January 2023

 

At Christ Church, we are deeply committed to all aspects of equality and diversity and are proud and delighted to announce we have achieved the Rainbow Flag Award. Through this initiative, focusing on positive LGBT+(lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans,  plus other related identities) inclusion, we are demonstrating a commitment to improve the lives of all young people that we work with, including those that are LGBT+ and those from LGBT+ families.

  

What is the Rainbow Flag Award?

The Rainbow Flag Award is a national quality assurance framework for primary schools, secondary schools, SEND schools and colleges.  The award focuses on positive LGBT+ inclusion and visibility.

The Rainbow Flag Award encourages a whole school approach to LGBT+ inclusion, as well as developing strategies to effectively challenge and combat LGBT+phobic bullying.

 Through a year-long process of self-assessment and ongoing monitoring and feedback, schools have access to a variety of resources and interventions, helping them meet set standards in each of the following areas:

What are the benefits of the Rainbow Flag Award?

What have we achieved?

Our school is committed to:

• Empowering the children to feel safe in our school community;
• Ensuring all our children feel respected;
• Listening to our children's issues in an empathetic and supportive way;
• Improving the visibility of the LGBT+  community as part of our diverse
• Helping our children to grow up to be respectful and inclusive of all those around them in their communities;
• Adopting an inclusive approach to school policies.

 

This supports our children by:

• Providing an awareness that people live their lives in different ways;
• Understanding that it is usual to have families of different dynamics;
• Acknowledging that it is usual to be straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans;
• Having an awareness that if we use these terms in a negative way, it can hurt people’s feelings;
• Avoiding the prejudiced use of stereotypes;
• Being reassured and confident to be who they want to be.

 

 We have achieved: 

  This means that: 

• At least two staff have attended the one-day course “LGBT+ Inclusion in Primary Schools”. 
• Effective LGBT+ inclusion training has been cascaded to the wider staff team.
• Staff can confidently and consistently recognise and appropriately challenge LGBTphobia.
• Staff are confidently using appropriate and positive terminology for LGBT+ people and identities.

  This means that: 

• Inclusive policies are written and published that reflect a commitment to robustly combat LGBTphobia and create an LGBT+ positive learning environment, in line with legal, statutory and moral obligations.
• LGBT+ inclusive policies have been comprehensively and effectively shared with the staff team, understood and implemented.

  This means that: 

• Through positive education across many curriculum areas, lesbian, gay and bisexual people are made visible, and students understand and can confidently use appropriate language pertaining to attraction (lesbian, gay, bisexual, straight).
• Through positive education across many curriculum areas, trans people are made visible, and students understand and can confidently use language pertaining to gender identity (trans, non-binary, cis).
• Through comprehensive PSHE and Relationship Education programmes, students are aware of LGBT+ identities, people, and families.
• Through comprehensive PSHE and Relationship Education programmes, students can recognise, report and challenge LGBTphobia.
• Through comprehensive PSHE and Relationship Education programmes, students know where to access further information and support for themselves, should they need it.

   This means that:

• Governors and parents understand the need to combat LGBTphobia through positive education and representation, and know where to go for information, and if needed, support.

  This means that:

• Children and young people wishing to explore/ express their gender and/or sexuality feel supported to do so.
• Skilled staff from within the organisation support them, including through signposting and referrals to appropriate local youth work services.

  This means that:

• Through school council and anti-bullying ambassadors students’ ideas and suggestions are actively informing the direction of other Rainbow Flag Award sections.
• Student-led activities that positively celebrate LGBT+ lives and people are encouraged and supported by the school.
• Students are supported to undertake initiatives that mark significant dates on the LGBT+ calendar, such as LGBT+ History Month, Pride, Trans Day of Visibility, and IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.  

What further information is available?

'Central to Christian theology is the belief that every single one of us is made in the image of God. Every one of us is loved unconditionally by God. Every child deserves to learn in an environment where they are loved, supported, and respected... Intrinsic elements of being able to flourish are being safe and being treated well – with dignity and respect – regardless of difference or disagreement. This principle applies to each person, because each one is made in the image of God and is precious.'

                   - Church of England Education Office

 

'No matter what type of school they attend, it is important that all children leave with an understanding of the world they are growing up in, having learned how to live alongside, and show respect for, a diverse range of people. When we inspect schools, we assess how well they equip children to do this.'

       - Ofsted: Inspecting Teaching of Protected Characteristics

 

Equality and diversity is embedded in all policy making in our inclusive school. For more specific information on LGBT+ inclusivity and how we tackle and eradicate LGBTphobia, Please click on the following links:

Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy

Diverse Families/ LGBT+ Inclusivity Reading Spine

Equality and Information Objectives

Gender Equality and Identity Reading Spine

LGBT+ Glossary

LGBT+ History Month

Rainbow Flag Information for Parents/ Carers

RSHE Policy

School Uniform Policy

Trauma Responsive Relationships and Anti-Bullying Policy

What further support is available?

The Rainbow Flag Award is a national quality assurance framework for primary schools, secondary schools, SEND schools and colleges. The award focuses on positive LGBT+, (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, plus other related identities), inclusion and visibility. Please click on the image to the right to find out more about the award we are aiming to achieve.

 

 The Young Persons Advisory Service (YPAS) is our delivery partner that is supporting Christ Church to achieve the Rainbow Flag Award. Serving a Merseyside population of over 150,000 children and young people, YPAS delivers a wide range of wellbeing and therapeutic services for children, and young people aged 5 to 25 years old and their parents and families. Their dedicated team also provide specialist support and resources for LGBT+ people and those affected by LGBT+ related issues. If you need any support. please click on the image above.

 

This is the LGBT+  young people's charity that supports  and works with young people and schools across the UK.  Each Year Just Like Us facilitates School Diversity Week, which is an annual, UK-wide celebration of LGBT+ equality in primary schools, secondary schools and colleges. Their free LGBT+ inclusive educational resources help make schools safer, happier and more welcoming places for all young people, regardless of whether they are LGBT+ or not. There is a student members section and Pride groups on their website, where children can talk about their issues or simply socialise in a safe environment.

 

Coming out was the top concern for LGBT+ young people contacting Childline about sexual and gender identity in 2020/21. Many young people are worried about how their family will react, while those who had come out to their family felt they were not taken seriously or did not feel they could be themselves. Others feel their family did not understand the impact on their mental health, are worried about not being accepted or about religious barriers and being bullied.The NSPCC website provides practical advice and useful information on supporting a young person if they have come out or are questioning their sexuality or sexual orientation.  Please click on the image above for further help and support.

Sometimes it can be hard for parents and carers when their child comes out as transgender or non-binary, or if they’re questioning their assigned gender identity. Parents and carers may feel unsure how to help them or not know what to say or how to relate to what they are going through. Whilst parents and carers can always talk to us at school, if you require further support or advice about gender identity, please click on the image to the right to find out more.

 

Childline provides a wealth of support and advice to support young people with their sexual gender identity.  No matter how they are feeling, young people can visit their website to find out more information about:

• Sexuality                                                            
• Gender identity
• Coming out
• Homophobic and transphobic bullying

 

The Proud Trust provides a wealth of essential education, support, and advocacy for LGBT+ young people, their families and their communities. information to support LGBT+ young people and their families. The organisation offers dedicated youth groups, mentoring programmes, and one-to-one support across the North West. In addition, the Proud Trust delivers comprehensive training and inclusion programmes for schools and runs Proud Connections, a digital live chat and support service for LGBT+ youth and the adults who support them.

 

Celebrating LGBT+ Inclusion and Diversity