Sisterhood
I have had many reasons to reflect on the metaphorical meaning of space within girls’ schools of late – not least because we are in the process of finalising the details of two exciting building projects which we plan to complete in our 150th anniversary year.
In devising these concepts, we have been working hard to stay true to two central principles: opportunity and wellbeing. Our aim is to create spaces that enhance our commitment to a holistic education for all our girls, with a new biophilic learning environment and an on-site fitness and exercise studio. The origins of these ideas lie in the feedback you and the girls have given us, so thank you for playing a part in shaping our plans.
During the project planning process, my central reflection has been that the nature of spaces within girls’ schools carry powerful symbolism. Sports pitches, performance halls, theatres, public speaking venues, art galleries, nooks for chats with friends, study spaces interwoven with areas for relaxation, gardens (and, in our case, an indoor oasis on the seventh floor)… they all speak to a vital message: we want to make our school a place where our students can fulfil their potential and thrive. South Hampstead is characterised by an abundance of light cascading through glass — a visual metaphor for our school motto, Mehr Licht. It is a place where we strive to offer an illuminating education, in every sense, and to create a warm community where many facets of brilliance can shine, underscored by a powerful ethos of sisterhood.
It is a pressing moment in the history of UK education to be celebrating this ethos of female solidarity. As more and more schools turn to a co-educational model, often driven by political and financial pressures, the nature of the education we offer at South Hampstead stands out as something that is defined as rare and special. Those of us who are a part of this incredible community know this, but what you perhaps don’t know is how often this is commented on by those who happen to see it in action. Just last week, someone asked me, ‘Is your school always like this? It feels so happy!’ Another visitor caught me in the atrium early one morning to say she has never been to a school where the girls arrive looking so enthused and so positive. At our recent valedictory ceremony, parents of our Upper Sixth leavers expressed their profound emotion at the prospect of their daughters leaving South Hampstead; and our new Year 7 families shared such excitement when arriving for their recent induction morning. Then of course there is the pride I feel in our students, each and every day, as well as the moments when we pause to reflect on the incredible achievements of the wider school community at major milestones and events, such as at this week’s South Hampstead Wrapped… I could go on.
The point is that being here – belonging to an outstanding girls’ school – should never be something that we take for granted. I visited the University of Cambridge earlier this term where I heard the Vice-Chancellor speak with such conviction about the notable traits and attributes that GDST girls display, which was brilliant to hear. The talks I attended were a salient reminder of just how far we have come in the fight to achieve educational equality for women. Women being excluded from education for so many centuries was not just an oversight; instead it was a deeply conscious and active determination to restrict women to a domestic and private sphere, as well as a calculated method of denying them a voice. Indeed, this is illustrated by the riots at Cambridge when New Hall College, now known as Murray Edwards College, first admitted women – and the women studying there had to be barricaded into their college in order to protect them from this violence. The fight for the right to education for women has been a global struggle, which is very much still ongoing; we are proud to be part of the voice which continues to demand the very best for young women today.
We are proud to be part of the voice which continues to demand the very best for young women today.
As the historian Lucy Delap puts it in Feminisms: A Global History: ‘Feminism seeks an alliance that spans more than half of humanity. There may never have been such an ambitious movement in human history.’ She also references a turn of the century publication in Japan, Seitō, which was founded to position women as the sun: a radiating force of energy, rather than a waning moon. Delap’s observation about the strength of sisterhood certainly rings true here at South Hampstead; I find it very moving that, over one hundred years later, this notion continues to resonate within our community today, where enlightenment, energy and spark are at the very heart of what we do. The past academic year has radiated such positivity, drive, warmth and happiness. It is an absolute joy to lead South Hampstead. Thank you so much to you and your daughters for everything that you have contributed to our school community. I wish you every happiness for the summer ahead.
Enlightenment, energy and spark are at the very heart of what we do.