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APPLY NOWWord from the Head – 6 March 2026
Dear Parents,
As we approach the end of a whirlwind week that combined National Careers Week, World Book Day and Creative Arts Week – all culminating in the celebration of International Women’s Day today – I have been prompted to think about the ways in which what we do in school prepare our pupils for the world of work and why, even now, it matters so much for our girls to be ready to challenge themselves (and others) to reach the heights of some industries.
In Tuesday’s assembly Ms Wilberforce, our Head of Careers and Higher Education, shared some extraordinary excerpts from the first ever issue of the County School for Girls Magazine, dated January 1914. This was the school her grandmother had attended and the first edition of the magazine featured an article entitled ‘Careers for Girls’, written by the equivalent of a Year 10 pupil:
“A girl who has a career has many more advantages than one who has not. She is far more independent and helpful to others and herself. She is dependent on no one for food and clothing, and has much wider views of life altogether.
Every girl should learn to do something, whatever it may be, for one never knows if one may be stranded with very small means. It is much better to be able to turn one’s hand to some trade or profession, even if at present it seems that it will never be needed.
Of course in every case a good training is essential. To hope to obtain any post without certain certificates is useless. A few years ago examinations were not so necessary, but now it is imperative that one should hold testimonials in order to secure a good position.”
I found it fascinating that, even then, girls’ schools were emphasising the importance of professional development and independence for women. This was at a time when marriage remained the number one career option for girls of a certain class, and those who did choose, or need, to work could expect to be required to end their employment on getting married.
While women can now combine work, marriage and children in a way that was not open to our predecessors, there are still far too many hurdles which make doing so extremely difficult. I thought this article by Pilita Clark at the Financial Times encapsulated neatly how things are really no better in many ways. Whilst many young women enter the workforce with high aspirations, global data shows a persistent ‘missing middle’. In sectors like finance, women often represent over 50% of entry-level roles but see their numbers dwindle mid-career, with far too few reaching senior leadership. This isn’t due to a lack of talent – far from it – but rather the inherited systems and subtle biases that we are preparing our girls to navigate and change.
You may remember that I talked about this last November when I made my President’s address to the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) Conference. Empowering women in the workplace is not just a moral imperative: it is a driver of economic growth. Research indicates that when female representation in senior management reaches a critical mass (roughly 30%), firm valuations and market performance rise significantly. Diverse teams are more innovative, generating up to 19% higher innovation revenues than less diverse peers. By encouraging our girls and young women to aim for these top roles, we are helping them build a world that is more productive, creative and resilient.
Ms Donington focused on overcoming female stereotypes in her assembly this morning. Entitled ‘Girls to the Front’, it looked at how tropes such as the ‘wicked witch’, the ‘siren’ and the ‘idealised mother’ have been challenged in books, film, art and music by various female artists. Indeed our whole Creative Arts Week has highlighted how the skills learned through literature and performance, such as the Six! The Musical workshop or our reading battles, build the confidence and communication skills vital for any career path. Whether it’s through attending the Art History talk or exploring the poetry of Plath and Hughes, we are teaching our students to find their voices, a critical tool for overcoming the motherhood penalty and the gender pay gaps that still exist in many industries.
As parents, your encouragement plays an important part in ensuring our young women don’t just ‘get a job’, but rather build careers where they can thrive, lead and inspire the next generation. Conversations about careers don’t have to be formal and this weekend, perhaps you could consider asking your daughter about some of the questions linked on these slides from Ms Wilberforce’s assembly. By linking their academic passions with professional possibilities, we are ensuring that when they leave our gates, they aren’t just ready for a job – they are ready to lead.
On a different note, but one that is just as important to all our students, and to you: this week the Government has launched a consultation on the action they could take to protect children from the risks of social media, following the under-16 social media ban in Australia. I wrote to all Senior School students yesterday to let them know that the good news is that the Government wants to hear from young people, as well as adults. There is a specific survey for parents and carers, and I know many of you will be keen to share your thoughts with them too.
They seek your views on measures which include setting a minimum age to access social media, and what age would be right; restricting functionalities and design features that encourage excessive use, such as infinite scrolling and autoplay; and whether the current guidance on the use of mobile phones in schools (i.e. that they should not be physically accessible during the school day up to and including Year 11) should be made compulsory for all schools.
You can find out more about the consultation here and click on the link at Part 2 which takes you to the survey itself here. I wrote in my message yesterday, “You all know how important I think it is that girls and young women should have their voices heard, not just in school but in the wider world – now is a brilliant chance to do just that! I hope that you will flood them with your responses and provide them with exactly what they need – the perspectives of girls who are growing up in an online world right now.” Please feel free to do the same.
With warmest wishes for the weekend,
Lindsey Hughes
Headmistress
