LGBT + Advice
The Rainbow Flag Award is a national quality framework for all schools and colleges, focusing on LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, plus other related identities) inclusion and visibility. The award, is a whole school approach will help tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying. It will help the school meet the legal and statutory requirements to promote LGBT equality and inclusion.
The Barlow are proud to announce that we have been awarded the prestigious Rainbow Flag Award. The Proud Trust, who bestowed the award on our school, said that as a school, we have “demonstrated a whole-school approach to the positive inclusion and visibility of LGBT+ people”.
They went on to say that The Barlow “clearly has a commitment to the eradication of LGBTphobic bullying” and therefore, they were proud to award us our Rainbow Flag Award. As a school, we have, over the last year, worked hard to ensure we are as inclusive as we can be; celebrating diversity for all to see. We have been assessed in the following areas: having skilled teachers, who are able to work effectively with our LGBT+ pupils and having supportive Governors and parents, who recognise the work the school put in to ensuring LGBT+ pupils receive the time and care they deserve.
As part of the awards process, we had to show that our school policies are effective in helping us to eradicate LGBTphobic bullying and we had to show that we ensure equality across every policy, which we were able to do with resounding success. Our curriculum was identified as being inclusive for our LGBT+ pupils and our pastoral support was noted as a real strength via the pupil voice that was completed.
Mrs Seddon, Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion said of our Award “We are immensely proud of achieving the Rainbow Flag Award. We work hard to ensure our LGBT+ pupils feel happy and safe in our school and this award is proof of the amazing job our staff do. Special thanks must go to Mrs Wilcox who has dedicated massive time and effort to not only achieving this award but also, into making sure our provision for our LGBT+ pupils is the best it can be – thank you Mrs Wilcox, our pupils really do appreciate it!”
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