Labour has released its long-awaited trans guidance for schools in England, stirring significant debate and replacing previous proposals drafted by the Conservative government. The new guidance, which will eventually be backed by law following a consultation period, addresses how schools and colleges should respond to students questioning their birth gender. Notably, it deviates from the earlier Tory stance by allowing primary school children, some as young as four, to undergo "full social transition" in what are described as "rare" circumstances.

The updated guidance marks a significant departure from instructions previously drawn up by Kemi Badenoch, which had explicitly forbidden primary schools from facilitating changes to pupils' pronouns. While the new document advises "particular caution" for primary-aged children and states that support for full social transition should be "very rarely" agreed, it effectively scraps the blanket ban. This change has triggered immediate fury from Conservative politicians and gender-critical campaigners, who argue it encourages a "dangerous fairytale" that children can change gender and puts pupils at risk. Laura Trott, Tory education spokesman, expressed shock that the guidance "opens the door to children as young as four being referred to in a way that does not reflect their biological sex."

Beyond primary schools, other sections from the previous draft have been deleted or softened. These include edicts that secondary pupils should change their pronouns only on "very few occasions," that no teacher or pupil should be compelled to use new pronouns, and that teachers should not be stopped from using terms like "boys and girls." Critics like Maya Forstater, chief executive of Sex Matters, argue that the guidance still leaves schools with an ill-defined concept of "social transition" and undermines safeguarding by implying children have a "birth sex" distinct from some other concept of sex, which she states has no basis in law or reality. Stephanie Davies-Arai, founder of Transgender Trend, emphasized that no child should be compelled to use preferred pronouns for classmates.

The issue of parental consent is another contentious point. While the new guidance stresses the importance of seeking parents' views on a child's request to change gender, it introduces a clause for "rare circumstances where involving parents or carers would constitute a greater risk to the child than not involving them." Baroness Amanda Spielman, former head of Ofsted, strongly criticized this provision, warning it gives "too much leeway" for schools to permit a child to transition secretly from their parents. She expressed concern that children might be encouraged to claim unsafety at home to bypass parental reluctance, arguing that such decisions should never be made without parents' knowledge and agreement, and that social services referral is the appropriate action if a child is truly unsafe.

However, Dr. Hilary Cass, whose 2024 independent review of NHS gender identity services for children led to a ban on puberty blockers for under-18s, offered a more nuanced welcome. She supported the guidance's shift towards contacting parents as a default, "unless you really think there's a significant risk to the child," seeing it as a step forward from previous practices. Pepe Di'Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), also welcomed the framework, highlighting its potential to bring "consistency" and place the child at the centre of safe decisions, with parents remaining central to the process, except in rare cases where their involvement would pose a greater risk.

Further provisions within the guidance clarify rules on single-sex spaces and other practicalities. Girls' toilets and changing facilities must remain female-only, and if gender-questioning pupils do not wish to use facilities designated for their biological sex, they must be provided with an alternative, not those of the opposite sex. There should be no mixed toilets for children over eight or mixed-sex sleeping arrangements on trips. A child's birth sex must also be recorded in school and college records. Regarding sports, the guidance states that they should remain single-sex if there are safety concerns about accommodating transgender children, and schools should sensitively explain that socially transitioning students will not have access to opposite-sex facilities. Staff members are prohibited from unilaterally deciding to transition a child without agreement from the school and parents; schools can only "respond" to requests, not "initiate" transitions.

The guidance also includes additions acknowledging that it is "common" for girls to play with trucks and boys to dress in "feminine" clothes, and notes that while young children may question their gender, for the majority, this will not continue into adulthood. The document's development was delayed for 18 months under Labour due to internal party divisions, and its content reflects key findings from the Cass Review and last year's Supreme Court ruling on single-sex spaces. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated that the guidance prioritizes child protection, emphasizing, "Parents send their children to school and college trusting that they'll be protected."

While teaching unions and school leaders have largely expressed positive feedback, welcoming the much-needed clear and pragmatic national guidance after years of navigating a polarized debate independently, the backlash from Conservatives and gender critics remains strong. Katherine Birbalsingh, known as "Britain's strictest headteacher," described the new guidance as "disgraceful" and an "abuse of state power." The consultation on this statutory guidance will run for 10 weeks, and it is set to be embedded into the overall 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' framework, which is regularly reviewed.