First, well done for talking about it. When this happens, it is easy to feel shame and blame yourself. However, incidents of discrimination arise for a variety of reasons.

Discrimination is defined as the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, particularly on the grounds of race, sex or age. It could be verbal or physical.

Your approach to this will be dictated by school policy but it cannot be focused solely on the child who is presenting these behaviours. Your response needs to be multi-pronged - with families and communities involved as well. Views usually stem from others, so be mindful of this.

Your whole school ethos needs to revolve around inclusion for all and you need to challenge where stereotypes exist.

Young children see people for people, and it’s only when they’re exposed to other opinions and attitudes - through the media, for example - that their viewpoints get skewed. Gender is a good example. When young children pick up a toy, they simply think about whether it will be fun. There’s no such thing as a “boy’s toy” or a “girl’s toy” until other opinions enter the ring.

You’re battling considerable forces. I went into my local shop the other day and I was horrified to see you can now buy pink and blue Kinder eggs. Marketing that projects gender stereotypes is rife and getting worse, and you will see those attitudes play out in your classroom. Challenge them directly.

Showing children how to celebrate difference by making it a regular part of school life will act as an early intervention.

Tracey Lawrence is assistant headteacher and specialist leader of education in social, emotional and mental health at Danemill Primary School in Leicester

Want to ask a question? Send your queries to Tracey @behaviourteach and join her for a weekly Twitter chat on Mondays during term time from 8-8.30pm by following the #behaviourchat hashtag.