- All-girls private school in south-east London to consider gender-neutral toilets
- Pupils at Blackheath High School proposed the idea for transitioning students
- Head Carol Chandler-Thompson praised her students’ confidence and bravery
- She said she was having ‘intelligent conversations’ with them about the change
Headmistress Carol Chandler-Thompson said she and her pupils are having ‘intelligent conversations’ about introducing gender-neutral toilets following pupils’ suggestions
A top all-girls private school is considering introducing gender-neutral toilets despite having an entirely female cohort in case any want to transition.
The £16,000-a-year Blackheath High School in south-east London is considering the switch after students raised the matter having discussed transgender issues in class.
Headmistress Carol Chandler-Thompson said pupils raised the issue of changing the signage on lavatories with her and are having ‘intelligent conversations’ about it.
The discussions come amid major renovation work on the campus, set in the leafy London suburb where nearby properties sell for in excess of £3.3 million.
Mrs Chandler-Thompson said: ‘We are in the middle of a giant building project. If we are introducing a single toilet why would you put a gender on it? We are not defensive about asking that question.
‘We are obviously a girls’ school but we may have young people who are transitioning here and we would support that,’ she told the Evening Standard.
The headmistress praised her pupils for being confident enough to challenge the way the school is run and being able to debate important social issues.
She added: ‘Obviously you can read alarmist headlines about these things, but these are valid questions to be asking.’
![The £16,000-a-year Blackheath High School in south-east London (pictured) is considering the switch after students raised the matter having discussed transgender issues in the classroom](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/13/21/4A29866400000578-5497131-image-a-28_1520977332935.jpg)
The £16,000-a-year Blackheath High School in south-east London (pictured) is considering the switch after students raised the matter having discussed transgender issues in the classroom
![A gender-neutral toilet is one that does not specifically exclude male of female users, allowing those who do not see their gender identity as binary, or are transitioning from one sex to another, to use a restroom without fear of discrimination or unease](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/13/22/4A29909600000578-5497131-A_gender_neutral_toilet_is_one_that_does_not_specifically_exclud-m-49_1520978488841.jpg)
![A gender-neutral toilet is one that does not specifically exclude male of female users, allowing those who do not see their gender identity as binary, or are transitioning from one sex to another, to use a restroom without fear of discrimination or unease](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/13/22/4A29909200000578-5497131-A_gender_neutral_toilet_is_one_that_does_not_specifically_exclud-a-50_1520978504822.jpg)
A gender-neutral toilet is one that does not specifically exclude male of female users, allowing those who do not see their gender identity as binary, or are transitioning from one sex to another, to use a restroom without fear of discrimination or unease
The school, part of the Girls’ Day School Trust, is undergoing wide scale construction work, with one third of the buildings being renovated.
Pupils at Blackheath are taught about transgender issues in PSHE lessons (personal, social, and health education).
The girls previously ran a successful campaign to persuade the head to introduce trousers to the uniform.