EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT SPACE TO SUCCEED In this thought piece, St Mary’s School, Cambridge shares perspectives on the value of an all-girls education today
T here’s truth in the saying ‘when one door closes, another one opens’ – but what matters most isn’t the door itself, it’s having the confidence to walk through it. This also suggests that setbacks are temporary and new opportunities are always just around the corner, reminding us of the importance of resilience, and that failures are to be learned from and not dwelled upon. An all-girls education does exactly this – it creates space for girls to find their voices and develop confidence in every area of learning. When doors open, having the confidence to take risks – to try something new like joining the debating team, auditioning for a performance or taking on a leadership role – is key. When girls understand that failure is part of learning rather than a reflection of their worth, they develop the resilience to embrace new challenges. Thus, a supported approach builds perseverance and inner strength, shaping students into confident,
positioned to address these systemic issues. “Education is the foundation of opportunity. Its structure determines not only what you learn, but how you think and who you become,” she says. “Despite decades of progress, the gender gap remains very real and very persistent. According to the UK Government Equalities Office in 2023, women constitute less than a third of MPs – an unmistakable underrepresentation in political leadership. And this pattern continues, with a 2023 Unesco report further revealing that women make up just 28% of the global STEM workforce. “This gap isn’t the result of ability, but environment. From the earliest stages of our lives, girls are shaped by systems that subtly – and sometimes even overtly – tell us to shrink. This conditioning can begin in the classroom. Research shows that co- educational settings often unintentionally reinforce gender biases that limit girls. “A Microsoft study in 2018 revealed that girls’ interests in STEM subjects dramatically decline after the age of 15 – not because of biology, but because of social conditioning, dismissal and discouragement from an early age. This reflects a systematic issue, which an all- girls education directly confronts.” Confidence counts “In all-girls schools, girls occupy the centre of every opportunity,” Kelly continues. “Single-sex environments don’t just allow girls to lead – they actively encourage it, and equip us with the skills and mindset necessary to excel doing it. It cultivates an irreplaceable culture of leadership and community. Students participate actively, challenge ideas and take intellectual risks without the fear of judgement. Here, you don’t have to fight to lead – you’re expected to. They don’t shield girls from reality – they prepare us to change it.” This is the power of education that truly opens doors. When girls are given the space to discover their voices, develop their capabilities and build their confidence, no closed doors can ever define their stories.
compassionate and capable young women, ready for whatever lies ahead. A pupil’s perspective As a student who is fully immersed in her educational experience at St Mary’s, Kelly L in year 10 provides an excellent perspective on the limits that social conditioning and gender bias routinely place on girls, and how an all-girls environment is uniquely
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