GSA

GSA (Gender Sexual Orientation Alliance)

Dumfries High school has, for almost 3 years, had a Gender Sexual Orientation Alliance (GSA) which aims to ensure that the school is a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for all. The GSA committee supervise a safe space that any student can use, there is no need to talk or interact with anyone here. It is a space for you to just be. The space can be found in Lab 11.

As part of the journey to ensure DHS is an inclusive place we have undertaken the journey to obtain the LGBT Youth Scotland Bronze Chartermark.

Dumfries High School’s GSA obtained the Bronze Charter Mark in October 2018 and are currently working towards the Gold Charter Mark.

One of the steps towards the Gold Charter is looking at safe spaces. To make our school more inclusive the toilets that are down in the main hall are now gender neutral. A safe space for pupils to get changed for PE has also been created. We already have a safe space within the school (Lab 11) to meet. This is open every day during interval and lunch and is supervised by our senior committee members. Mrs Brown, Miss Wilson, and Mrs Grierson are always there on a Wednesday during lunch but are also available anytime if a pupil needs to discuss anything.

As a group, over the last two years despite being on lockdown twice, have worked together to write a new LGBT Health & Wellbeing programme to be used for all year groups. We were very lucky to attend the school engagement session on LGBT inclusive Education organised by the Scottish Government with other schools across Scotland. We have since shared our Health and Wellbeing booklets with the minister, for the implementation of the new Government LGBT Inclusive Education policy in schools.