Be aware! Key Stage 2 Transgender Video - Being an Upstander Against LGBTQ+ Prejudice

This article has been contributed by a parent.

As we start a new academic year it is a timely warning for all parents to be very vigilant about what your children may be taught in school. CViE would encourage you to proactively engage with your schools – look at their various policies, read all the communications from the school about upcoming lessons and events, speak to class teachers to request access to resources and teaching materials (esp. for RSE and PSHE), and if you have concerns prayerfully raise these in a polite, constructive and respectful way.

Please don’t put your head in the sand about these topics or assume that your child will not be shown something similar.

In June our children’s primary school had a diversity week. There were several problems with this, not least the lack of communication from the school regarding the week itself, the topics that would be covered, or the materials to be used. This is all the subject of ongoing dialogue with the school.

However, we thought it would be helpful to highlight one particular video that was shown to our child (who was aged 10 and in year 5) as part of a lesson on inclusivity and prejudice. This video is called What Do You Think? Year 5/6 KS2… Being an upstander against LGBTQ+ prejudice. We would encourage all parents to watch this video to get an idea about the kind of resources that are sometimes used in schools.

A few important points from this specific example.

Firstly it is important to consider the organisation who created the video. Diversity Role Models – who have been in the news in past years due to the controversial nature of some of their material – are an organisation whose self-stated mission is ‘to promote understanding and acceptance of individual differences and end LGBTQ+ bullying in schools’. We should of course all get behind the aim of ending bullying of whatever sort – loving our neighbour is a core Christian principle. However, the aim to ‘promote understanding and acceptance of individual differences‘ is more problematic as it inevitably leads to the promotion of specific ideologies. Diversity Role Models are not a neutral organisation combatting bullying, they are an LGBTQ+ focused organisation pushing specific ideologies, as illustrated by the video in question – in this case an ideology that is contested in wider society, age inappropriate for primary schools, and contrary to what the Bible teaches.

Secondly, regarding the video itself:

It presents one specific (and contested) viewpoint on transgender identity as the only valid one. It does not (especially if used in isolation) provide any of the balance required of schools, who must by law respect the range of differing values and beliefs represented in the school community.
It implies that the values and beliefs a child is taught at home can be challenged, and therefore directly undermines a child’s wider family. This is completely unacceptable, especially at primary school, and seriously erodes the trust that must exist between the school and the family.
It uses classic progressive terminology such as being an upstander or being an ally. These are subtle words, that have been carefully chosen, the aim being to imply that if you disagree, you are the opposite (e.g. if you atre not an ally you are an enemy).
We believe that this video would likely not be aligned with the new Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education guidance that has now become statutory in schools as of 1st September 2026, which states in Clause 70 that ‘schools should be mindful that beyond the facts and the law about biological sex and gender reassignment there is significant debate, and they should be careful not to endorse any particular view or teach it as fact‘.

Thirdly, the context in which material is used matters. The school have told us that the lesson in which the video was used was not intended to promote a specific ideology, but just to teach about inclusivity and respect. This may be true, however, intention is not the same as outcome. As highlighted above, the video is not neutral, it is clearly promoting a contested ideology and there was no apparent balance in the lesson. If wanting to teach about inclusion and respect there are many examples that could be used that are not controversial such as disability or race.

We hope this example is both helpful and a wake-up call to parents. Do keep a close eye on what your children are being shown in school, especially in the context of PSHE/RSE and in specific events like a diversity week.