Transcending the gender binary: towards an inclusive approach in primary education

Abstract

At a time in the UK when gender diversity and inclusion are heavily debated topics, both politically and socially, this research project aims to be a significant contribution in relation to the practice and discipline of education. Those working within schools and wider education systems are navigating heavy workloads and often have little time to dedicate to exploring these topics. Yet, simultaneously, more children, young people and adults are exploring their gender identities. Taken together this flags up the need for increased understanding about how best to adopt more inclusive practices in education and elsewhere. In responding to these debates and issues, this research includes a review of the current literature discussing gender, gender identities, stereotyping, and cis-normativity alongside equality, diversity and inclusion and a review of the implications for practice. However, the key element is the exploration of these issues in the context of a single educational setting, that being a primary school in England.

The key research questions were;
How are primary schools gendered?
What do children in primary schools think about gender?
To what extent are primary teachers aware of gendering behaviours and language?
How can primary teachers transcend the gender binary and be more inclusive of gender diversity?
What are the implications for practitioners?

To respond to these questions, I gathered data which included observations, interviews with the staff, focus pods with the children and a review of policies. Additional data came from the facilitation of two continual professional development sessions for the school staff and questionnaires linked to those sessions which acted as a discussion opener and baseline assessment for the deep dive into the setting. Interviews with other relevant educational stakeholders and visits to other schools also contributed relevant data. This thesis discusses the data collected from the research and offers recommendations for practice, for transcending the gender binary, and moving towards a more inclusive approach in schools.

The data analysis identified the following four key themes and they are;
Language Use
Policies, curriculum, environment, resources
Reflexivity and binary-bias,
Influences on practice and implications for practitioners

My research projects concluded with recommendations for schools which can be adapted for a variety of settings.

Date of Award	19 Dec 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Northumbria University
Supervisor	Mel Gibson (Supervisor), Carol Davenport (Supervisor) & Jane Davies (Supervisor)