UPDATED FOR 2025: This model policy developed by Sex Matters, specifies how a school records, communicates and uses data on the sex of all pupils, and any rules that treat girls and boys differently but fairly. It draws on inputs from parents, teachers, lawyers and safeguarding experts and is in line with legislation and guidance from the Department for Education and the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Key Features of the Sex Matters School Policy
- Sex Matters school policy is based on recognising every child’s biological sex clearly and consistently.
- Records use a child’s legal name and sex, while a preferred name may also be used day to day.
- Boys and girls have separate toilets, change-rooms, showers, and sleeping arrangements to protect privacy, with unisex single facilities available where needed.
- Sports are divided by sex where safety or fairness requires it, but all children are encouraged to take part and supported if they have special needs.
- Uniform rules are set by sex for clarity, though flexible options are allowed for cultural, religious, or medical reasons.
- Safeguarding always comes first: staff support children in distress with compassion, but cannot treat a child as the opposite sex.
- Bullying is never tolerated, but applying sex-based rules is not bullying.
- Where a child is struggling with gender distress, the school may allow practical adjustments such as a unisex toilet or the use of a preferred name, while ensuring safety for everyone.
- Finally, Sex Matters policy mentions that schools should avoid external organisations and materials that do not align with safeguarding standards and the law.
Summary
The Sex Matters policy is a comprehensive, sex-based safeguarding framework. For Australia and especially Tasmania, it would need to be adapted carefully to local anti-discrimination law while keeping strong protections for sex-based privacy, fairness in sport, and safeguarding.
The safest adaptation is to retain sex-based rules as the foundation, but provide compassionate, lawful adjustments (like unisex single-user facilities and respectful naming practices) to balance compliance with Tasmanian legislation.
School model policy – editable
Sex Matters school model policy on sex-based rules and record-keeping, formatted as a word document for schools to adapt