PARTNERS
BREAKING THE BIAS Donna Stevens restates the transformative value of an all-girls’ school education.
A
s the expert in girls’ education, The power of girls’ schools GSA champions the best interests The pertinence of an education that puts of girls and women; rigorous irl a ition fir l at it eart cannot research compellingly proves the power e over tate fir l elieve irl of a girls’ education built for girls. The schools help girls thrive and grow into the facts are that girls’ schools are crucial to future women they elect to be. achieving gender equality; They achieve: t e level t e pla in fiel transformative outcomes: “The world should • Girls in classrooms for girls and consistently ca pai n for t e enefit are more likely to be a place where of girls and women, and pursue ambitious every girl can always have. educational goals • Girls excel athletically learn and lead. The Female and have greater chances To achieve this Context for leadership roles ti an we are • Girls achieve a we must ensure five eneration awa disproportionately large our economies, from achieving gender share of the top exam parity at the current grades in the UK societies and rate of c an e n , nternationall e catin education systems girls is life changing: lifting gender bias, whether deliberate or not, still work for girls, not people out of poverty, affects women’s life growing economies and against them.” opportunities, ambitions saving lives and right to equality Malala Yousafazi GSA Alumna, world-wide. This has Whereas: Edgbaston High School nothing to do with the • Girls working alongside innate talents and skills of high-achieving boys that girls and women; The Peterson set their educational goals lower, lack n tit te lar e t ever international rve confi ence in t eir a ilitie , an o le of co ntrie fo n t at co panie well in science and maths in contrast to with 30% more women at the top (at girls in girls’ schools C-suite level) saw a 15 percent increase in • Girls get less teaching time in co-ed profita ilit in ine schools because generally teachers | schoolmanagementplus.com |
er
interact with boys more often in the classroom by a margin of 10 to 30 percent
New cross-sector research partnership
GSA’s passion is to fuel generations to come with an education that understands the female experience, and the newly incorporated cross-sector research group is testament to that commitment. The biggest research collaboration of its kind, the working group will be steered by airfiel i c ool for irl , arro ate a ie olle e, a e fiel irl c ool, orwic i c ool for irl , e ai i c ool, t nne at olic i c ool for irl , e enrietta arnett c ool, an i le on i c ool t will teer anal tical ata collection across the educational sector to critically examine factors that enhance or diminish the development of girls in schools and present a national vision, and blueprint, for girls’ education. With up-todate insights and deep-dive reporting, it will serve as a powerful resource for the on-going understanding and development of teaching programmes, pupil-centred resources and toolkits, and positive learning outcomes. GSA’s goal is to create the world as it should be, a place where every girl can achieve and lead; and it is our belief that a girl’s education gifts every girl with the skills and appetite to recognise her full talents, and rightfully realise a brilliant life. ●
DONNA STEVENS is CEO of the Girls’ Schools Association which represents 160 girls’ schools. She previously worked at the Independent Schools Council leading their research department.
