Schools should consider introducing ‘gender-neutral’ toilets, changing rooms and uniforms to make transgender pupils feel more comfortable, teachers suggest.

Members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers teaching union will debate how to deal with ‘gender identity and trans issues’ at their annual conference tomorrow.

History teacher Julia Neal, chair of the union’s equality and diversity committee, put forward the motion challenging ‘gender identity prejudice’ in education.

Schools should consider introducing ‘gender-neutral’ toilets, changing rooms and uniforms to make transgender pupils feel more comfortable, teachers suggest

She said school leaders could consider the possibility of providing some ‘non- gender-specific facilities’.

She told the Evening Standard: ‘It’s about senior management teams and governing bodies understanding that there are a lot of facilities in schools that are separated — changing rooms and toilets and uniforms are very gender-specific.

‘If there is gender fluidity they need to understand the importance of gender-neutral facilities.

'And they need to understand how pupils want to be referred to, as he or she.

‘It’s a delicate area. Teachers are not confident, which is not a criticism.’

Members of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers teaching union will debate how to deal with ‘gender identity and trans issues'

Schools are asked to help make transgender pupils feel more comfortable (file photo)

Ms Neal said ‘gender neutral’ facilities could be added to the existing male and female facilities.

But she said: ‘If you ban female or male toilets you might make other people feel uncomfortable.’

Her motion, which will be debated tomorrow, calls for teachers to be given information and training on how to support young people who have gender identity questions, and for trans role models to be celebrated in schools.

Ahead of the debate she said: ‘Teachers could be trained into how they can best use inclusive language.

'The terms which are used for gender identity are quite complicated.

She added: ‘My own view is that it doesn’t matter if it’s just one student who isn’t served by the lack of [teachers’] understanding.