By Press Release
An Island school changed its policy after the IW Observer pointed out that it appeared to compromise well-established child safeguarding principles.
Cowes Enterprise College had a policy of not informing parents when a child expressed a wish to change gender. A statement on its website said: “Provided there are no other concerns around a student, a disclosure that a student is transgender, or questioning their gender or sexuality, this would not warrant parental notification.”
Since the Education Act 1996, schools have been required to tell parents if a child discloses information not known to them, unless there is a safeguarding risk. The Children Act of 1989 also explicitly states that parental involvement in the life of their children is paramount. No other body can assume parental responsibility other than by court intervention. When the IW Observer pointed out the legislation and asked Cowes Enterprise College for a comment we were told the policy was ‘outdated’ and ‘no longer in use’ and it was quickly taken down from the website.
The information was unearthed by Conservative campaigner, Ian Wellby, who has two young children. His concerns were prompted by research by think-tank, Policy Exchange, whose report ‘Asleep at the Wheel’ found in a national sample of 300 schools that only 28 per cent routinely inform a parent when a child reports feelings of ‘gender distress’. When Mr Wellby contacted Cowes Enterprise College and asked for their policy he was directed to the statement on the website.
A parent of a child, who has recently left Cowes Enterprise College, said: “The school has seemed obsessed with sexuality and gender; there were posters about it everywhere. I worried that my daughter was being pushed to make decisions about these difficult issues before she was ready. Children of that age experiment and do not always know what is best for them, but the school just took what they said at face value. It happened to some of her friends.”
A further concern of Mr Wellby’s is the involvement of “highly controversial external agencies to deliver lessons on disputed gender ideology as fact”. This includes the charity Mermaids, currently under investigation by the Charity Commission over serious concerns about its governance and management.
An investigation by the Telegraph found the charity was secretly providing chest binders to children as young as 13 against their parents’ wishes. Staff also told teenagers that hormone-blocking drugs are “totally reversible”, despite concerns about the long-term impact of the drugs.
The IW Education Federation, which runs Carisbrooke and Medina Colleges and the Sixth Form College and Christ the King College have all said they have used Mermaids, who provide teacher training and curriculum materials.
Both the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and Labour leader, Sir Kier Starmer, have expressed concerns about the findings of the Policy Exchange report.
Mr Wellby said: “I am very concerned about the routine lack of parental involvement in such important issues. It is inappropriate for schools to take it upon themselves to allow children, who are dealing with complex feelings, to make decisions that could affect the rest of their lives, while leaving their parents completely in the dark.
“I have every sympathy with youngsters who really do feel conflicted about their gender, but youngsters go through phases, and parents, who know them best and love them, are best placed to help and guide them through that.
“I am pleased leaders of both major political parties have expressed concerns about what is going on in schools on the back of the revelations by Policy Exchange, and have called for parents to be informed, but the IW Council should look into this in the first instance. That is why I have written to Cllr Debbie Andre, the IW Council’s cabinet member for education, calling on her to urgently investigate this matter.”
A spokesman for the IW Council said: “Schools independently determine their own policies and procedures. However, all schools are advised to ensure their policies, procedures and curriculum content adheres to all relevant legislation such as Department for Education statutory guidance, including ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022’ and ‘Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education 2019’.”
A spokeswoman for Cowes Enterprise College said yesterday: “We work in partnership with students and their families to foster open conversations and supportive environments. Where there are personal matters, alongside providing direct support, we encourage students to talk to parents and carers where appropriate.”
The IW Observer also approached Cllr Andre for a comment.
