LGBT inclusive education

SQA is a member of the LGBT Inclusive Education Implementation Group which was established to take forward the recommendations of a report developed by the LGBT Inclusive Education Working Group in November 2018.

The Scottish Government accepted all 33 recommendations of the report.

The LGBTI Inclusive Education Working Group recommendations included:

  • To improve LGBTI inclusion
  • Improvement of practice and guidance for teachers
  • Provision of professional learning for current and future teachers
  • Monitoring and school inspections of LGBTI inclusion
  • The recording of incidents of LGBTI bullying in schools

Recommendation 15 is specific to SQA:

‘In recognising the centrality of national qualifications in shaping educational discourse, that SQA and Education Scotland work with the Implementation Group to ensure appropriate inclusion of LGBTI matters in the development of new or adapted course specifications, and relevant guidance, across the curriculum.’

Our progress to date

SQA is committed to incorporating LGBT matters in new and revised National Courses. This commitment is driven by Recommendation 15 of the LGBTI Inclusive Education Working Group report to the Scottish Ministers.

SQA has identified that this can be achieved in a number of ways:

  1. By embedding LGBT matters in the course specification of relevant National Courses. This will mean that this is mandatory assessable content.
  2. Including LGBT related texts / stimulus in question papers, where appropriate.
  3. Highlighting where there are opportunities through personalisation and choice for learners to engage with LGBT issues in their coursework assessment.

The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent recovery has prevented SQA from progressing with the consideration of including LGBT content as part of its normal qualification review cycle.

In 2021 the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills announced a review of qualifications and assessment to be led independently by Professor Louise Hayward. This reform will provide the opportunity for SQA to meaningfully consider the inclusion of LGBT assessable subject content across all qualifications as they are developed, where it is appropriate to do so.

Future activity

  • Identify opportunities for inclusion of assessable LGBT content when National Courses are revised as part of wider reform.
  • Highlight where there are opportunities for candidates to engage with LGBT related content in current National Courses.

Current National Courses

There are current National Courses that candidates, through personalisation and choice, would be able to select a theme or topic related to LGBT issues as the basis of their Coursework assessment.

Support and Enquiries

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Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies courses at National 5 and Higher help candidates to develop an understanding of the society in which they live and work through learning about, and from, religious beliefs, non-religious viewpoints and personal experience. The course encourages candidates to develop values and beliefs and learn how to express them. It also helps them to develop respect for others and an understanding of beliefs and practices which are different from their own.

Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies at National 5 and Higher have three areas of study. In each area, candidates focus on one of the world’s six major religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism). The range of contexts for study is flexible to allow for personalisation and choice.

One of these areas is concerned with Morality and Belief, which includes Morality and Relationships. This part of the course includes:

  • gender roles: family, employment, religion
  • sexual relationships: purpose of sex, sexual consent, same sex
  • marriage: arranged marriages, co-habitation, same-sex marriages, divorce
  • equality and exploitation: religion, media

In English at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher candidates have the opportunity to write creative and discursive pieces of writing as part of their Portfolio Writing assessment. There is a great amount of free scope in this course assessment component for personalisation and choice with regards to the selection of topics.

At National 5 and Higher English, within the Critical Reading question paper, there is free choice in the selection of texts candidates can use for the Critical Essay. Teachers and lecturers are able to consider a wide range of literature/media/language and there is the opportunity for candidates to be introduced to a wide range of texts and take from them what they can at their own stage of learning and maturity.

National Courses in Drama provide scope for personalisation and choice by encouraging candidates to be creative and to express themselves in different ways. Learning through drama helps candidates to appreciate cultural values, identities and ideas. For example, in the National 5 Drama question paper, candidates are provided with three stimulus to develop ideas for a drama and they are able to interpret these in any way they wish. In Section three of the Higher Drama question paper, candidates are asked to give a performance analysis of a theatrical performance they have seen live or recorded.

Teachers and lecturers are able to consider a wide range of plays and there is the opportunity for candidates to be introduced to a range of texts and take from them what they can at their own stage of learning and maturity. In Advanced Higher Drama, for the dissertation teachers and lecturers are able to consider a wide range of practitioners and plays. There is the opportunity for candidates to be introduced to a wide range of practitioners and plays and take from them what they can at their own stage of learning and maturity. For the Assignment at Advanced Drama, candidates are asked to research, investigate and analyse a professional theatrical production. In each of these assessment components there is huge scope to explore LGBT and gender issues.

Dance is also a subject in which candidates could, through the open nature of the assessment, include LGBT related issues. National Courses in Dance encourage candidates to be creative and to express themselves in different ways. Learning through dance helps candidates to develop an appreciation of aesthetic and cultural values and identities. In both National 5 and Higher Dance, candidates for the Practical Activity are asked to select and research a theme or stimulus and create a choreography for presentation and also produce an extended response which reviews the choreography they have created.

National Courses in Art and Design provide learners with the skills to critically appreciate aesthetic and cultural values, identities and ideas. Courses at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher encourage candidates to be inspired and creatively challenged as they communicate their personal thoughts, ideas and feelings through their work.

Candidates have the opportunity to select a theme or topic that could include some aspect of LGBT content for the coursework components. SQA does not set themes or tasks for these components, leaving it to the candidate to choose what they would like to base their portfolios/projects on.

Higher Photography encourages candidates to be inspired and challenged by visually representing their personal thoughts and ideas through the medium of photography. It also helps candidates to understand the impact of social, cultural, historical, and scientific influences on photographers’ work and practice.

Candidates have the opportunity to select a theme or topic that could include some aspect of LGBT content for the coursework components in Art & Design. SQA does not set themes or tasks for these components, leaving it to the candidate to choose what they would like to base their portfolios/projects on.

Within the Culture and Identity section of the Sociology courses there is scope to discuss LGBT issues. These aren’t mandatory aspects of the course, but formation of identity is, and candidates will often discuss them in classroom settings. Candidates have also answered questions on formation of identity in the past by referring to LGBTI identities.

Within the Social Issues section, candidates must study two social issues – one is set, but the other is not. It would be appropriate to study LGBTI matters within this, and the second social issue is available for sampling in question papers.

We have context-based questions in the QPs, and as with other subjects, there would be scope to include LGBT representation in the subject matter or characters.

Within assignments, candidates have a free choice of topic and each year we see assignments focussing on LGBTI matters.

Modern Studies courses encourage learners to develop a greater understanding of the contemporary world and their place in it. They also have opportunities to develop important attitudes such as respect for the values, beliefs and cultures of others; openness to new thinking and ideas; and a sense of responsibility and global citizenship.

National 5 and Higher Modern Studies courses have three areas of study: Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom; Social Issues in the United Kingdom and International Issues. Advanced Higher Modern Studies includes Political issues; Law and order; and Social inequality. There is considerable flexibility in the themes at all levels which can be studied within each area in order to allow for personalisation and choice.

By examining social issues, candidates develop an understanding of the issues of diversity and equality. Social issues and their impact on individuals and society provide rich opportunities for candidates to consider and reflect upon their attitudes towards society, and their place and the place of others within it.

At all levels learners must complete an assignment or dissertation and in doing so have an open choice of a Modern Studies topic or issue Their choice should refer to a contemporary political, social or international issue.

Find out more at Modern Studies subject pages

In the History National Courses, candidates develop their understanding of the world by learning about other people and their values, in different times, places and circumstances. The course helps candidates to develop a map of the past and an appreciation and understanding of the forces which have shaped the world today.

Discipline-based knowledge and understanding of historical events helps candidates to function as effective contributors to society. They develop important attitudes such as: confidence; an open mind and respect for the values, beliefs and cultures of others; openness to new thinking and ideas; and a sense of responsibility and global citizenship.

There is considerable flexibility in the contexts and themes which can be studied in each area in order to allow personalisation and choice.

Find out more at History subject pages

Partnership working

We are working in partnership with Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) to link with resources they have developed on behalf of the Scottish Government for teachers across Scotland.

lgbteducation.scot is a platform to support teachers across Scotland to tackle prejudice through education – with LGBT Inclusive Education integrated throughout the Scottish curriculum. Teachers can access free curriculum resources and professional learning here, including the Stage 1 E-Learning module from the two stage national Delivering LGBT Inclusive Education course.

Further information on SQA’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion can be found at the following webpages. Equality, diversity and inclusion - SQA.