A CAMPAIGN to teach schoolchildren about gay and lesbian historical figures has been launched but schools in west Wiltshire have been kept in the dark.

Schools Out!, an association of gay and lesbian teachers, is encouraging children to discuss the rumoured homosexuality of William Shakespeare, as well as other gay figures including Oscar Wilde and Leonardo da Vinci.

The Department of Education has supported the campaign with a £16,000 grant to promote the scheme during February.

But headteachers across west Wiltshire have heard nothing about the radical plans.

Nigel Gilhespy, headteacher of Matravers School in Westbury, said his school would support anything that helped reduce prejudice.

"We had no knowledge of this whatsoever but obviously want to reduce any kind of prejudice," he said.

"If we were dealing with a character like Oscar Wilde, clearly his homosexuality would crop up.

"If it was relevant for example to the book that we were teaching we would discuss it.

"But I don't see any reason for a specific campaign as we already teach children about many of these characters anyway."

Tim Ovendon, deputy head at Kingdown School in Warminster also said the school had been told nothing of the plans.

"Myself and some of my colleagues heard about it on the news but as a school we have received no official information about it," he said.

"I'm not sure it would be something we would support as we already deal with issues of homosexuality.

"We have special study days where we collapse the timetable and teach the older students about sex education.

"We deal with issues of homosexuality within these days and we try and teach all students to respect other people's individuality.

"However anything that tackles prejudice on any level is good."

Nigel Tart, a maths teacher and spokesman for Schools Out!, said the main aim of the campaign was to help children that might be having a tough time.

"A lot of the time the word gay or lesbian is only mentioned with very negative connotations," he said.

"We are trying to reclaim the words and show that it can be a positive thing."

Mr Tart said although the campaign had been slow to get going he was hoping for success in future years.

"This is only our first year so we are not pretending that every school across the country will be holding a week devoted to gay history.

"But we are hoping to grow and expand like black history month has done.

"This year we are just preparing for the tabloid backlash and next year we will be much better planned."

The Schools Out! website offers practical advice to schools and community groups about how to promote gay month.

One suggestion was to hold a fashion show of gay-oriented style through the years.

Another was to re-enact the ceremonies of the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholics, in which same-sex couples used to be blessed in churches.

Tory shadow education secretary Tim Collins said the scheme was "achingly politically correct".

But junior education minister Ivan Lewis defended it as part of a Government anti-bullying strategy.