Sarah Beagley is headteacher at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School

ELIZABETH Garrett Anderson has a vision – to be a school where every student can achieve without limits.

It is a place where we instil in everyone a sense of pride and confidence.

However, we know that our students will not always be treated with respect and dignity and many of them have already experienced violence as part of their everyday lives.

When a journey to school can result in abuse on the bus, or being followed by a stranger, the world can feel unsafe and not the version we would like to imagine for our young people

So what is our response?

It is to make sure that students know firstly that they must never accept violence, be it verbal or physical.

Then, it is to ensure that they have the vocabulary, and the tools to respond.

London is a truly wonderful place to grow up, but to be able to fully appreciate it, you need the confidence to explore and to broaden your experiences. However young people can at times feel limited by fear and do not always benefit from the London that should be theirs to embrace.

We describe EGA as a “non violent school”.

Our ambition is that through the work that we do with students, we develop in them the awareness and confidence to address the casual aggression that is part of many of the interactions they experience in our communities: the raised voice, the offensive language, the put downs and the slurs and of course the physical threats.

We model, every day the behaviours that we believe in and develop in students the skills to develop healthy relationships – all with kindness and respect at the heart.

All our students participate in workshops exploring ‘the power of language’ which holds up a mirror to students so that they are aware of firstly their own impact on others but also to ensure that they can recognise unacceptable behaviours in others. We develop in them a sense of belief , a confidence that they belong and remind them daily that they have a responsibility to contribute in making their school, their communities better and stronger by their actions and choices.

I cannot control their experiences outside of EGA, but when they are here I want to ensure that in this place something will be different. These young women have so much to say, and so much to contribute and it is beholden on all of us to create a community where they will feel safe and confident to do that without the fear of violence.

‘It can’t be just one person who stops it’

We asked some Year 10 students at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School for their views on this important topic. They give their first-hand experiences about what it’s like to live and study in Islington.

They also share their thoughts about how we can all help create a safer environment for women and girls.

• How does violence against women and girls impact on the way you live in and move around the borough?

‘I cannot go out whenever I want. My parents are more strict with me because I’m a female. Sometimes I feel like I’m doing too much appearance wise. For example, I can’t wear too much makeup. I want to avoid harassment and being followed and stared at. I feel safer with my family and male members of my family.’
– Fahmida Ahmed

‘I understand that there is a real threat towards women and girls. However it doesn’t really impact my day-to-day, I make sure to be aware of my surroundings and I am cautious about keeping myself and others safe.’
– Ikram Anwar

• How do you manage to keep safe while knowing that there can be a real threat of violence against women and girls?

‘I go out with a group of people instead of by myself.’

– Fahmida Ahmed

‘I try to stay in busy areas, and I’m always with at least one other person or on the phone to someone when I’m alone.’
– Beau Reardon

• What might be the solutions to violence against women and girls?

‘I think you could have more workshops in schools focusing on this topic. And there could be adverts on television, raising awareness about violence against women and girls.’

– Kaya Johnson

‘Teach people about consent, listen to survivors, learn the signs of abuse.

‘I feel like the community as a whole should come together to try to solve the problem.

‘It can’t just be one person who stops it.’

– Iman Jirow