Almost nine in ten secondary school teachers (86 per cent) and almost half of primary school teachers (45 per cent) surveyed say pupils in their schools have experienced homophobic bullying.
The vast majority of teachers – nine in ten in secondary schools (89 per cent) andseven in ten in primary schools (70 per cent) hear pupils use expressions like ‘that’s so gay’ or ‘you’re so gay’.
More than half of secondary school teachers (55 per cent) and four in tenprimary school teachers (42 per cent) say they don’t challenge homophobic language every time they hear it.
More than half of primary school teachers (56 per cent) have not addressed different families (including same-sex parents) in the classroom, and a third of secondary school teachers (34 per cent) say they have not addressed issues of sexual orientation.
Only eight per cent of primary school teachers and 17 per cent of secondary school teachers say they have received specific training on tackling homophobic bullying.
More than a third of secondary school teachers (36 per cent) and nearly a thirdof primary school teachers (29 per cent) have heard homophobic language from other school staff.