A London teacher who has pioneered Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) History Month at her school over the past three years has just published an account of how she has developed the celebrations. 

Although Section 28, which aimed to prevent local authorities from ‘promoting homosexuality’, was repealed in 2004, many teachers still find it difficult to broach the subject of homosexuality in the classroom. Others feel helpless to challenge homophobic behaviour.

Elly Barnes is not one of those teachers.

The openly gay music teacher and ‘head of year’ teaches at Stoke Newington School, a non-selective, state school, specializing in Arts, Maths, and Science.

For the past three years, thanks to Ms. Barnes’ remarkable energy and vision, the school has been celebrating LGBT History Month by integrating it into the curriculum.

This year, thanks to the success of the initiative, they have involved the wider community, and other schools in the Borough have expressed interest in marking LGBT History Month themselves.

The History Month website has posted the example of what one determined teacher can do, in order to inspire other schools.

Click HERE for the report.