Schools would be required to seek parents’ views and create alternative toilets for children wishing to change gender, according to first-ever statutory guidance addressing the topic.
The guidance, published in response to a 2024 review into gender identity led by Dr Hilary Cass, states that schools should take a “very careful” approach to requests for social transitioning.
But it will allow children to adopt different pronouns in school, as long as parents are informed.
It marks the first time statutory guidance on gender for schools has been issued by the UK Government.
Consultation on the proposed changes, announced by the Department for Education on Thursday, will be open for 10 weeks, with the final guidance set to be published for schools to follow from September 2026.
Here’s everything you need to know in five minutes.
Parents to be informed in most cases
The new guidance states that schools should not initiate steps towards social transitioning, which is when a child wishes to change their name, pronoun or clothes to reflect their gender identity.
However, if a child wishes to socially transition, the school must seek parents’ views and take into account any clinical advice the family has received, unless there is a “genuine safeguarding reason not to”.
It is understood that a safeguarding reason will depend on individual circumstances where a child’s safety will be put at risk, but this is expected to be rare.
In primary schools, full social transitioning should only happen “very rarely”, the guidance states.
This is the first time the Government has issued statutory gender guidance for schools, after it was first promised in England in 2018.
Until now, some schools have looked towards previous guidance released for consultation by the former Conservative government in 2023.
The new guidance, designed following recommendations from the Cass Review of gender care in under-18s, would be enforceable via Ofsted from September 2026.
It will be integrated within the Keeping Children Safe in Education framework, which issues statutory advice to schools and colleges in England for mandatory safeguarding for under-18s.
Dr Cass backed the guidance, saying it gives schools “much-needed clarity on their legal duties so they can support children with confidence”.
Single-sex spaces to be protected
The guidance also requires schools to protect single-sex spaces, meaning that if a child wishes to use the toilets of the opposite sex, the school must provide an alternative arrangement where possible, such as a gender neutral toilet.
It states that, without exception, there should be no sharing of toilet facilities for children over eight and that mixed-sex sport should not compromise safety.
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However, the new guidance has noted – as outlined in the Cass review – that older children will generally have “greater agency to make their own decisions” and encouraged schools to maintain flexibility.
This suggests that schools may still be encouraged to set their own standards for dealing with issues regarding names and uniforms.
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), welcomed the new advice after long calling for “clear, pragmatic and well-evidenced national guidance”.
He said: “Schools and colleges have done a very good job in dealing with this complex and sensitive issue over the course of many years, striving to create inclusive environments for all their young people.
“But they have had to do so amid an often-polarised public debate.”
Schools must be aware of birth sex
The Government said that schools and teachers must be made aware of a child’s birth sex so that they can take action when necessary.
The guidance will ensure that this information is accurately recorded in school and college records.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Parents send their children to school and college trusting that they’ll be protected. Teachers work tirelessly to keep them safe. That’s not negotiable, and it’s not a political football.
“That’s why we’re following the evidence, including Dr Hilary Cass’s expert review, to give teachers the clarity they need to ensure the safeguarding and wellbeing of gender questioning children and young people.
“This is about pragmatic support for teachers, reassurance for parents, and above all, the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.”
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