An Ipswich high school implicated in a tweet from the town's MP has said that the resources on gender he criticised as "'potentially damaging" have never been used to teach pupils.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Conservative MP Tom Hunt replied to a thread of teachings from Northgate Sixth Form, saying the ideas on gender were “deeply worrying”.

The thread included 'the genderbread person' diagram, from website It's Pronounced Metrosexual, with the school’s logo underneath.

The diagram places identity, attraction, expression and biological sex on a continuum.

A spokesperson from the school said that this has only been used to discuss the subject between staff members, and has not been used since October 2022, and never as a teaching resource.

There was also a video clip in the thread discussing LGBTQ+ language, which the school said was an excerpt from a training session for adults at another institution.

In the post, the MP said the teachings were "deeply worrying", and should "under no circumstances" be promoted to school children.

He added: "(I am) very concerned about the potentially damaging consequences of this gender ideology being promoted so aggressively in schools."

Rowena Mackie, headteacher at Northgate High School, has invited the MP to meet with her to discuss the situation.

Ipswich Star: Northgate headteacher Rowena Mackie said she was proud of the school's conversations around diversity.Northgate headteacher Rowena Mackie said she was proud of the school's conversations around diversity. (Image: Archant)

Ms Mackie said: “I am proud of our school for the way we promote open and honest conversations with our students on equality, diversity, and inclusion. 

“These are student-led conversations and within the proper guidelines and standards that we always adhere too. I would not accept it being any other way.

“I have invited Mr Hunt to meet with me to fully understand the situation. I rather hoped he would have done this before voicing his concern on X, but we are where we are.”

In an email to parents, the school stated that subject lessons reflect "the British values, anti-discriminatory ethos and equalities duties expected of every school", and recognises that "any kind of discriminatory bullying is wrong".

The school added that the curriculums have been planned and audited following clear national guidelines.

The Ipswich MP has been contacted for comment.

Earlier this week, another Ipswich councillor and parent Sam Murray voiced her "deep concerns" and "urgent intervention" was needed in her criticism of the sex education curriculum.

She said: “I opted out of sex education for my children but my children get confused by what other children say."