This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A primary school in Birmingham that suspended lessons about LGBT equality following protests by parents is to resume a modified version of the programme in September.

Parents of pupils at Parkfield community school in Saltley staged weekly protests over the relationship lessons, which they claimed promoted gay and transgender lifestyles. In March, hundreds of mainly Muslim children, aged between four and 11, were withdrawn from the school for the day.

Just before Easter, the school announced the “No outsiders” lessons, which teach tolerance of diverse groups, including those of different races, genders and sexual orientations, would not take place until a resolution had been reached.

The school announced on Wednesday that a modified version of the scheme, “No outsiders for a faith community”, would be introduced in September. However, some parents have said they are not happy with the outcome of the consultation and may resume their protests.

A school spokesperson said: “Following five months of consultation with parents, community representatives and the DfE [Department for Education], Parkfield community school will be relaunching their equality teaching in September 2019.

“As a result of the consultation, ‘No Outsiders for a faith community’ has been especially designed for Parkfield community school, acknowledging and respecting the concerns and sensitivity expressed by some parents in the present school community.

“In the resource, there are lessons referencing race, religion, age, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation and disability.”

The spokesperson said the school was sharing the resources for the programme with parents in advance, through year-group sessions. “Our school ethos of equality and everyone being welcome remains a key aspect of our school,” it said.

The programme was developed by the assistant headteacher Andrew Moffat, who was awarded an MBE for his work in equality education. It is taught by schools across the country, the ethos being to promote LGBT equality and challenge homophobia in primary schools.

The school was cleared of wrongdoing after an inspection by Ofsted, which ruled in its favour, praised Parkfield’s record on promoting “tolerance, acceptance and mutual respect”, and confirmed its rating of “outstanding”.

However, the Parkfield Parents Group, which organised the protests, said members voted against the modified programme.

“This is because it is well known that the original programme, and now even the new programme, is heavily biased towards LGBTQ, whereas an equality programme doesn’t need to be,” it said.

Fatima Shah, who first raised the issue and pulled her 10-year-old daughter out of the school, saying children were too young to be learning about same-sex marriages and LGBT issues in class, said the concerned parents had not been listened to.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Fatima Shah. Photograph: John Robertson/The Guardian

“We have said we don’t want children in reception to be shown books with same-sex relationships. It’s confusing for them,” she said.

“But the school has said it will do exactly the same as it was doing before but with a slightly different name. How is that taking our views into account?”

Last week, the Excelsior Multi Academy Trust, which runs the school, announced the headteacher, David Williams, was leaving to become a senior headteacher at another school managed by the trust.

Moffat, who was shortlisted for a world’s best teacher award given out by the Varkey Foundation, claimed he was threatened and targeted via a leaflet campaign after the school piloted “No outsiders”, and said he needed weekly counselling after the demonstrations.

He had resigned from another primary school in Birmingham, Chilwell Croft academy, in December 2013 after a similar dispute. He is the author of Challenging Homophobia in Primary Schools, a teaching document.

The recent demonstrations spread to Anderton Park primary, also in Birmingham, which does not use the “No outsiders” programme. The school recently won a high court injunction against demonstrations outside its gates. A full trial to consider the injunction is to take place between 22 and 31 July.