International Women's Day - Thursday 8th March

Ahead of International Women's Day on Thursday 8th March, pupils have explored the meaning behind this one hundred year tradition.  We use International Women's Day as an important opportunity to educate and inspire children about the role of women in society; from celebrating women's achievements through to challenging gender stereotypes and bias.

This year's theme is #PressforProgress and by ​educating the minds of today and the citizens of tomorrow using education about gender equality is the most grassroots difference any one can make. Your role and responsibility are phenomenal. Thank you for championing International Women's Day to make a positive difference.

On Thursday, pupils will be given the opportunity to share and celebrate women who they believe are positive role models in their lives.  Have a chat with your child/children.  Use these questions if you find them useful:

• What qualities does a positive female role model have?
• Who do you think is an inspirational woman?  They don't have to be famous!
• What difference have they made to yourself or others?
• Why do you think it is important to have positive role models?

We look forward to hearing who your inspirational female role models are!

Here is just a few suggestions from our teaching staff:

The inspirational woman I have picked (and it was very tricky as there are so many) is one of the leaders of the civil rights movement, Rosa Parks was born in Alabama, a highly segregated state in the 1950s when she made history. She refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, a violation of the segregation laws of the time, and was arrested and fined. Her action kick-started a huge protest and was one small action that started something huge.

Mrs Nicholls

Marie Curie's commitment to scientific research led to some incredibly significant discoveries in an era where women were discouraged from working in this field.

Mrs Claxton

An inspirational woman is a positive role model and both my mum and aunt fit into that category.  They both support each other when the going gets tough and have always been reliable, honest and forgiving towards one and other.  I've learnt from them that women supporting women is fundamentally important in our drive for progress in gender equality but also that kindness is free, and we should sprinkle it everywhere!

Mrs Ward

Sheryl Sandberg’s a role model for anyone—women and men—who aspire to be successful. As Facebook COE, author, and the first woman to sit on Facebook’s board, she’s learned plenty of lessons along her journey—and has faced many struggles throughout it all.

Mr Drakes 

Lizzie Yarnold won consecutive Olympic gold medals in 2014 and 2018, she is the most successful British Winter Olympian and the most successful Olympic Skeleton athlete of all time from any nation.  This success hasn't made her arrogant.  “It’s certainly been up and down. It is always goof to remember that sport is challenging and that anything can happen on competition day – but I made myself remember what I was good at.  Her determination, dedication and also her passion for promoting young people is what makes her inspirational in my opinion. The message she delivers is: you can be successful being YOU and it's more important to be true to who you are rather than trying to mould yourself into someone else or something you are not.

Mrs Stanley

“One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals. And so when I hear about negative and false attacks, I really don’t invest any energy in them, because I know who I am.”  Michelle Obama