FRENSHAM Heights School made headlines in the national press this week after the revelation that a boarding student has been given a private room after questioning their gender identity.

The question of how to deal with ‘gender fluidity’ has become a key issue for private schools, according to The Sunday Times, with some said to fear they could be open to legal action under the terms of the Equality Act 2010 if a pupil does not feel he or she has been treated sympathetically.

Addressing a recent case at Frensham Heights in The Sunday Times last weekend, headteacher Andrew Fisher said he tries to avoid using terms such as “Hi guys” and “boys and girls”, in favour of “pupils”, adding: “We are a progressive school.”

Responding to the subsequent “sensationalised” coverage in other avenues of the national media, Mr Fisher has refused to discuss the individual pupil at the centre of the case, but has commented generally on his school’s approach to gender.

He said in a statement: “With regards to the recent press coverage, I was pleased that the important issue of meeting the needs of young people who are questioning their gender is in the public domain. Times have changed and it is essential that schools put in place a policy outlining their response to it. However, it is equally essential that the issue be treated with sensitivity.

“We have a duty of care for every child at Frensham Heights and the heart of our ethos is to treat every student as an individual and guide them towards adulthood with understanding, kindness and respect. This remains true for every child here at Frensham.

“It is out of this respect and duty of care that I am not prepared to discuss any individual case. Given the current tone of the coverage, which is neither helpful nor respectful of individual privacy, it would be wrong to contribute further at this point. My first and foremost concern will always be to protect the privacy and well-being of my students.”