WomenEd Blogs

by Bukky Yusuf @rondelle10_b and Clare Erasmus @cerasmusteach Who We Are, by Bukky Yusuf In 2013, when I started my whole school leadership role, enhancing teaching and learning using mobile devices, I looked to connect with other educators that had current #EdTech (Educational Technology) experiences.  However, I struggled to find women worki...

By Viv Griffiths Jacinda Ardern's resignation announcement last week, without apparent prior warning, naturally came as a shock. She gave a characteristically honest and at times emotional speech explaining her reasons for stepping down from her role as prime minister of New Zealand: "Politicians are human. We give all that we can, for as long as w...

by Vivienne Porritt    @ViviennePorritt What is Equal Pay Day? This is my 4th annual blog on Equal Pay Day for the UK which this year, is on 20th November. Equal Pay Day in the UK denotes the day when women, on average, effectively stop earning relative to men because of the gender pay gap.This means that women are working for nothing for...

by Christina Astin @ChristinaAstin (Chair of Planet Possibility), Marilyn Comrie @GetMeMotoring (Director of The Blair Project) and Olivia Keenan @oliviakeenan1 (SEPnet and QMUL). Some young people, including girls, are put off studying physics because of misconceived stereotypes. Planet Possibility is a consortium working to change this, radically...

by Lisa Hannay  @lhannay1 Vivienne Porritt and I collaborated on the piece below for a possible submission into a book designed to amplify tiny voices. Now, it didn't get selected but we use the #WomenEd platform to grow a network of empowered women, create impact on the status quo and carve a large dent in the patriarchy! Connect with @WomenE...

by  Liz Free @LizAMFreeDuring International Women's Day 2022 (#IWD22) we were invited to imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. The focus was around women's achievements, rai...

by Vivienne Porritt @ViviennePorritt and Ruth Golding @LearnerLedLdrThe highlight of my decade was being honoured with an OBE in the New Year's Honours list on January 1st. Wouldn't it be great if every day feels even better than this! Most of you will know this was for the impact of #WomenEd and it was wonderful to see the community celebrate toge...

It was a normal day at the office. A busy day. I came across Ambition School Leadership (@Ambition_Inst) and a Headship course. I first thought – me? Headship? No. Not a chance… but I was 10%braver, without even knowing it.

By Caroline Doherty @_C_J_B

Dear Headteacher,

If I were to offer you a simple way to get you a more diverse, skilled, happy and engaged workforce with greater levels of wellbeing, you’d say it sounds far too good to be true!

However, when I chaired a webinar on Flexible Working in partnership with the Department for Education and Teaching Vacancies this is exactly what we heard from our expert panellists happens when schools offer opportunities to work flexibly. You can watch the full recording here

By Jules Daulby @julesdaulby 2021 was a difficult year. There were successes but often overshadowed by feelings of sadness, disappointment and failure. The only thing that kept me going at those times was the phrase I would tell myself over and over again; 'put one foot forward', because when you feel desperate it's easy to give up and that ti...

By Vivienne Porritt   @ViviennePorritt 2021 has been a roller coaster of a year. I felt marooned from my family who live 300 miles away, from my wonderful sisters in our Global Strategic Leaders' team, and worried for school leaders who carried a very heavy burden.Once again, #WomenEd has been my saviour as I used the available time ...

by Vivienne Porritt @ViviennePorritt

I write an annual blog about the #GenderPayGap in education, using the date of Equal Pay Day in the UK. From this day, most women are working for nothing for the rest of the calendar year because they earn less than men. In 2019, Equal Pay Day was 14th November and in 2020 it was on 20th November. This year it is November 18th which confirms we have moved backwards during the pandemic. Change is clearly not secure, and the pace of change is too slow.

by Vivienne Porritt @ViviennePorritt

What’s the issue?

Equal Pay Day this year is 14th November.  From this day, most women are working for nothing because they earn less than men: the most recent statistics show the mean gap for full time workers is 13.1%. The gap is wider for part-time employees.  Women earn less than men in 90% of all employment sectors.

by #WomenEd Global Strategic Leaders @WomenEd

Tickets are now available for our 1st global online unconference! 4 sessions between 2nd October to 4th October mean we can cover our 4 campaigns and time zones for all of our 30 networks!  We are confirming contributors as we type and, if we couldnt fit you in, we are asking you to record a video which will be on our YouTube channel and which will be played from the dates of the unconference. we want to make this as inclusive as possible and to show the wonderful community to which we all belong. 

by Victoria O'Farrell @vjofarrell    #WorldMenopauseDay

We were in a queue at Universal Studios in LA, (yes LA ,California! Trip of a life time and all that!) when I said ‘I’ve got to go!’ With blood streaming down my legs and filling up my denim shorts, I locked myself in a toilet cubicle in shame. I tidied myself up, tears welling up. ‘What the hell is going on? I’ve just finished my period and now this, blood, thick clots, so much blood!’.