FUTURE Cumnock Primary School teachers studying at Ayrshire College are learning how to introduce LGBT education into the classroom.

It comes after Scotland became the first country in the world to embed LGBT+ inclusive education in the schools’ curriculum.

Access to Primary Education and Humanities students at the College’s Ayr Campus have been piloting recognised training in LGBT+, which was delivered by representatives from East Ayrshire Council, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, and the Terrence Higgins Trust.

The students participated in a workshop which explored language around allowing the students to gain an understanding of stigma and discrimination faced by young people.

They also learned about current activity in schools and how the experiences of young people can be improved through a fully inclusive curriculum.

The hope is that the students will be much more prepared to deliver an inclusive education and better understand the needs of LGBT+ young people, when they enter the classrooms as teachers.

Kerry Jarvis, Health and Wellbeing Officer, East Ayrshire Council, said “I cannot emphasise enough how important this training is for our next generation of teachers.

“Ayrshire College is breaking new ground by ensuring that this training is embedded into this course.

“There is a lack of confidence among many primary school teachers around the subject of LGBT+ which I’m hoping, as a result of training like this, will not exist among the next generation of teachers. If LGBT+ inclusion is addressed from an early age I really do believe as a nation that we can eradicate homophobia.”