School_Matters_Issue_35

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IPS COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS In a special assembly, Mrs McBride explained how gender equality contributes to the wealth, health and safety of everyone in society and she invited pupils to sign up to discuss the pressures they might have experienced particular to their gender. The assemblies were tailored to different year groups. Senior 9 and 10 pupils were also introduced to how sexist language in person or online feeds into a wider culture that normalises harassment and violence against women and girls. Following the publication of testimonials on the website Everyone’s Invited, we recognise that it is essential that pupils be given the opportunity to talk about stereotypes, pressures and experiences related to their gender and we are delighted that so many girls and boys have contributed to IPS Community Conversations. This was the first of a series of assemblies and discussion groups which aim to involve the pupil body in building an even better place to spend their days and years. The sessions were thought provoking and informative and we are enormously grateful to Natasha for coming into school to speak. Ms Rachel Palmer, Head of Sixth Form manifests itself in the world. There was then discussion of the different forms of inequality that can exist and pupils were encouraged to think about how we can disrupt these inequalities at personal, group and community levels, thereby contributing to their eradication. Afterwards, Natasha delivered another superb talk to UVI, entitled ‘Preparing our teens for the unspoken at University’. Natasha outlined the issues universities across the UK are currently facing, describing an epidemic of harassment, sexual assault and gendered violence. There was discussion about the ‘grey areas’ of consent and what the chasm between definitions of consent and the lived experiences of consent can look like to students. Natasha also explained the ways in which harassment and assault manifest themselves at university and explored discourses, actions and aspects of university life that feed a specific culture that lead to sexual harassment and violence. A lively Q&A session followed and pupils left resolved to seek to try to change the culture that exists on certain university campuses.

TUTORIAL DAY

BOLD VOICES The post-assessment enrichment programmes IPS offered in the second half of the Summer Term, ‘Flourish’ for UVI and ‘Endeavour’ for PVI, got off to a flying start with a visit from Natasha Eeles of Bold Voices. Bold Voices’ mission is that all young people have the right to receive an education free from gender inequality and gendered violence. Natasha delivered a most engaging talk to PVI entitled 'Thinking big about gender inequality: from misogyny to gendered violence'. She outlined the context of inequality and discussed how inequality

Yoga was just one of the activities on offer during Tutorial Day. The programme, organised by Mr Price, Deputy Head (Pastoral) also included sessions on Gender Equality with Bold Voices, Puberty and Relationships with Up Front Theatre Company, Multiculturalism and Diversity, Reconciliation with Mike Haines, Consent with True Tube and Screwball, and First Aid. Thanks to all who contributed.

FILM DAY

It was great to have the Young Film Academy back at IPS running a film making workshop for LVI. A screening and awards ceremony took place in the Theatre at the end of the day. Well done all!