Celebrating International Women's Day 2023

A key day in the Wimbledon High School calendar, International Women's Day was celebrated in true Wimbledonian style, featuring a thought-provoking panel discussion alongside our annual Sixth Form Dance-Off and Mad4Padz initiative.

All week, the school's feminism society, Women of Wimbledon, highlighted the modern feminists who have inspired them in daily bulletins to our community, from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Laura Bates. You can find out more in Unconquered Peaks this week. And on the subject of inspiring young women, if you haven't seen the simply wonderful 2023 printed edition of UP yet, do ask the school for a copy. This is seriously impressive journalism and thought leadership by our very own writers, who look to raise their voices and work for positive change, while being witty and funny in their wry observations on life in and out of school. All brilliantly edited this year by Sasha and Amy (Year 13). 

Of the IWD panel, which took place in Wimbledon High's auditorium and was a Charter event with King's College School, Head Ms Fionnuala Kennedy writes: "Significant issues such as domestic abuse were discussed and the hurdles still faced explored; but there was also hope and optimism in the air as we talked through the progress which has been made. Michelle Terry, a barrister and one of our speakers, gave great advice as to how to live a fulfilling, satisfying life: ‘Do what you’re passionate about, do what interests you, and do it for life. Then check in with yourself from time-to-time that you’re still fired up and motivated and, if not, make some changes’. That last point definitely resonated with me as we know that generations to come will have long and changeable careers, much less linear perhaps than ours and those of our parents; we also know that it is still the case for women in particular that their career journeys may well be less linear in any case due to maternity decisions and other familial commitments, and it’s important to be realistic about that without quashing anyone’s sense of ambition."

Earlier in the day, we were delighted to see younger students join old hands in the Senior Hall for our customary Mad4Padz throwing of packets of sanitary towels into the air. The collection will be passed to women in need. And there was all sorts of fun in the lunchtime Sixth Form Dance Off, where tutor teams battled it out for glory - even if a self-imposed photo ban means we can't share any pictorial evidence...