To celebrate International Women’s Day Blackheath High School’s feminism society joined the #PressforProgress campaign around gender parity by hosting a one-day feminism conference in conjunction with the UCL Institute of Education.

Feminism teacher, Ms. Retallack, activists, teachers and students alike came together to address issues around gender inequality in schools and focussed on how we can make our schools fairer places for all. Hosted by our incredible students, there were panel discussions and breakout sessions that tackled subjects such as the gendered curriculum, ‘safe spaces’ in school, and sex and relationships education.

Our students welcomed a host of experts on gender equality to give talks. From UCL Professor Jessica Ringrose, (Professor of Sociology of Gender and Education the UCL Institute of Education), Charlotte Carson (Founder of Feminism in Schools Network)  representatives from the Great Men Project (who run workshops promoting gender equality with teenage boys in UK secondary schools), TIGER (Teaching Individuals Gender Equality and Respect) to our very own alumna activist Sainabou Hydara who gave a very inspiring speech on feminist activism.

The schools participating included Westminster School, Haberdashers’ Aske’s, City of London School for Boys, City of London School for Girls, Brighton and Hove High School for Girls GDST, and Northampton High GDST and Deptford Green School.

Head, Mrs Chandler-Thompson, said: "I am proud that our feminist society was able to bring together a network of schools together to celebrate International Women’s Day, and ensured those schools left the conference with the tools, information, and a network to spearhead the feminism message back in their own schools."

Read more about the conference in our Head's Blog.