”Educating Dangerous Girls” Series 3, Episode 5. Sophy Norris in conversation with Liz Gregory, Head of The Maynard School

This series of The Dangerous Women Collective podcast is sponsored by the fantastic ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business. We thank you so much for making our show possible.

In Episode 5, Series 3, Sophy Norris talks to Liz Gregory, the head of an all-girls fee-paying school, The Maynard School. The Maynard has recently been named as a top 100 school by The Times and Sunday Times, as well as being named the best school in the South West. It is one of several all-girls schools on the list (not all fee-paying), making us wonder if all-girls is a fast track to dangerousness.

In this episode, we look at how we educate Dangerous girls. What sets girls up for a life of success (whatever that success looks like), how we bake that in from the get-go and is an all-female, from a pupil point of view, environment the best start for Dangerousness?

But first, a little more about Liz.

Following a state education, Liz studied economics at Reading, fully intending to enter the world of finance. Quickly realising this was not where her passions lay, Liz returned to university for her PGCE, where she realised how much she loved teaching. She started her teaching career in mainstream, inclusive state schools in Warwickshire and Derbyshire, before heading south to accept a position in an all-girls boarding house at King’s College Taunton. She is also President-Elect of the Chartered College of Teaching.

The Maynard is her first all-girls school and her first headship. So, who better to talk to about educating dangerous girls than Liz? Our conversation is, as ever, expansive. Amongst much more, we cover:

• Private versus mainstream education, and the varying (and similar) needs of children.
• Creating an atmosphere of happiness, inclusiveness, excellence and accountability in young girls and women.
• Instilling proud ambition.
• How an all-girls environment should, and does, empower girls to become the best versions of themselves, and to help other girls do the same.
• How "dangerous" is a positive word!
• Teaching courage, bravery and resilience as well as flexibility and compassion so that girls are as ready as they can be for an emerging world.
• Why privilege also means paying it forward (and the importance of mentorship and role modelling).
• Preparing children for a tough geopolitical landscape by encouraging curiosity and hope for a fresh future (a future which today's girls will help shape).
• Why we must learn to say "Yes" when we can.
• "We only get this day once, so let's make the most of it."

Links:

Liz Gregory | Sophy Norris

The Maynard School

Sponsor:

ESET

Items mentioned in this Episode:

Vicky Ward