Some of the country’s top single-sex private schools have been told not to use the word “girls” in case it upsets and discriminates against pupils who question their gender identity.

The phrases “young ladies” and even “young women” should also be dropped, according to advice issued last week, which also recommends creating unisex lavatories in a drive to be more sensitive to transgender pupils.

Head teachers belonging to the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA)were told they should use the gender neutral words “pupils”, “people” or “students” instead.

“In assemblies, instead of saying ‘Girls, go to lessons’, staff should consider saying ‘Pupils, go to lessons’ or ‘Students, go to lessons’,” confirmed Caroline Jordan, president of the GSA and headmistress of Headington School in Oxford. “That is something