Ofsted: ‘No evidence’ Birmingham school’s LGBT lessons are not ‘age appropriate’
An Ofsted report has found that there is “no evidence” that LGBT+ lessons being taught at a primary school in Birmingham are not age appropriate.
The UK government’s schools regulator investigated Parkfield Community School after protests were held by some Muslim parents against it teaching lessons on LGBT+ rights, transphobia and homophobia as part of its No Outsiders project.
The protests culminated on Friday (March 1), when parents claimed around 80 percent of the pupils were kept home, although the school refused to confirm the number, the BBC reported.
The No Outsiders project was started by assistant head teacher Andrew Moffat in 2014.
Ofsted report finds “no evidence” Birmingham school’s LGBT lessons are not age appropriate
In the Ofsted report, senior inspector Peter Humphries said: “A very small, but vocal, minority of parents are not clear about the school’s vision, policies and practice.”
“This group of parents feel that staff do not sufficiently listen to their concerns.
“Their view is that PSHE education and equalities curriculum focuses disproportionately on LGBT issues and that this work is not taught in an age-appropriate manner.
“Inspectors found no evidence this was the case.”
“Their view is that PSHE education and equalities curriculum focuses disproportionately on LGBT issues and that this work is not taught in an age-appropriate manner. Inspectors found no evidence this was the case.”
–Peter Humphries, Ofsted senior inspector
Andrew Moffat teaches LGBT-inclusive lessons at Parkfield Community School. (Varkey Foundation/YouTube)
Head teacher David Williams told BBC that the report’s findings were “great news.”
Birmingham school’s head teacher says report is “great news”
However, one parent, Maqsood Hussain, who has two children at Parkfield Community School, described the report as a “whitewash.”
“If there is nothing wrong, why do you find 600 children being withdrawn from school as a result of what is being taught in school?,” he told BBC.
“Why do you find a petition with over 500 names attached to it? Why do you find parents protesting for the last five or six weeks and then, there is nothing wrong?
“Clearly there is a breakdown. Clearly there are issues. The report itself is a whitewash. The report itself is a fallacy.”
