This year, the theme of international women’ s day was ‘break the bias’. Pupils across the school took part in activities and assemblies to explore this theme and celebrate women who have inspired them.
The lower school Gender Equality and Mutual Respect Group wanted to celebrate International Women’s Day in a slightly different way this year. They wanted to give pupils an opportunity to research the achievements of women and recognise them. The lower school have been breaking the bias by celebrating the achievements of women. Below are some examples:
“Dorothy Vaughan because as a mathematician and human computer she helped mankind make it to the moon and inspired female mathematicians to break the bias.” – Mrs Chetwood
“Rosa Parks because she was ‘the first lady of civil rights’ and ‘the mother of the freedom movement’ and is most famously known for the bus situation in South Africa. She has a hospital named after her and is one of the most famous women of all time!” – Rory (Year 8)
“Alice Milliat, a French rower, was a key advocate for women’s sport who organised, at a time when the Olympic Games had very few events for women, the first Women’s World Games. This led to the inclusion of women’s athletics in the Olympics in 1928 and kicked off a global dialogue about women’s representation in a broader range of sports, which continues today.”
“Malala Yousafzai. She is the youngest Nobel Prize winner the world has ever seen. She won it in 2014. This incredible woman overcame an attempt on her life by the Taliban in Pakistan at the age of fifteen, to campaign for women’s rights and children’s rights to an education.”
Pupils in the Athena Society raised a staggering £493.40 for the Women and Girls Network by selling stickers. They also took this opportunity to educate fellow pupils about the fantastic work of this charity. To find out more about the Athena society, click here.