EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST
SPECIAL FEATURE
EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST WITH HEAD
Mrs. Alex Hutchinson FROM JAMES ALLEN’S GIRLS’ SCHOOL, LONDON In this episode of Education Corner Podcast, we spoke with Mrs. Alex Hutchinson, Head at James Allen’s GIrls’ School, London. Alex spoke to us about the importance of educating girls and widening access to education.
Alex began her teaching career as a chemistry teacher and then Head of Science, before moving into more leadership roles as Head of Sixth Form, Deputy Head and then Headmistress at schools such as Wimbledon High School and Woldingham School. Alex joined JAGS as Headmistress in 2020 and is also president of the Girls’ Schools Association for 2024-25. Having previously worked at JAGS briefly as a chemistry teacher, Alex described rejoining the school as Headmistress as: “An absolute dream come true!” Located in Dulwich, South London, Alex described JAGS as: “A really amazing, dynamic community.” As an academically selective school, JAGS achieves excellent exam results, but also embraces a wider view of success: “Yes, we’re really proud of the exam results that they achieve, but we’re absolutely not defined by them. We really like to focus on every individual’s definition of success.” As an all-girls school, Alex believes JAGS pupils are free from any gender stereotyping in their interests, with no girls’ subjects or boys’ subjects: “The girls are just as comfortable putting their hand up in a chemistry lesson as they are racing off at lunchtime to go and play hockey or curling up with a book in 48 | EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE | S P R I N G 2 02 5
the library or going to debating club.” Girls are encouraged to experience a wide range of subjects and activities: “We absolutely believe that being busy is a good thing. We’re busy in the classroom. We’re busy outside the classroom. We like to sum it up to say what we have here at JAGS is a real passion for life and learning.” Alex is also conscious of building girls’ who are confident and self-assured, without any danger of arrogance: “The girls are brilliant: they are bright, talented, funny and kind. They’re authentic, they’re big thinkers. We’re very diverse as a community. We really value the individuality of our students and I like to think that we’re a nicely selfassured community, but we’re never arrogant in what we do.” Alex also took on the role of President of the GSA for the academic year 2024-25, which she described as: “An extraordinary privilege.” As President, Alex describes her role as “the cheerleader” for girls’ education and it is clear she believes greatly in the role and power of the GSA in this. She states: “We have a common mission. That is to focus on the education of girls. What the GSA does is provide an immediate network of support, of encouragement and of inspiration from like-minded individuals.” In the GSA’s Powering Up Girls guide, Alex said: “There are no glass ceilings in girls’ schools.” Reflecting on this, she shared the immense progress which has been made in girls’ education in the 150 years of the GSA and earlier.
