Hundreds of pupils at Ashville College in Harrogate joined others around the world to celebrate International Day of the Girl - a United Nations initiative promoting equality and empowerment for girls.
To mark the occasion, the co-educational independent school created a video and held a special assembly recognising the influence and leadership of girls in today’s world.
The theme for 2025, “The girl I am, the change I lead,” encouraged pupils to explore how schools, families and communities can work together to nurture confident, courageous young leaders.
Head of Ashville College, Rhiannon Wilkinson, said:
“International Day of the Girl gave us the opportunity to celebrate not just the girls they are now, but the girls who they are becoming - and the women that they will become in the future.
“It is our privilege to walk alongside them, and it is our responsibility to raise the bar, and to remind them, every single day, that they have the power to change the world.”
At Ashville Prep School, which educates pupils aged 2 to 11, the focus on leadership and empowerment begins early.
Staff have taken part in ‘Girls on Board’ training to help pupils understand friendships and build the confidence that supports effective leadership.
The school also invites inspirational women from across its community – including staff, parents, alumnae and guest speakers – to share their experiences and demonstrate different pathways to leadership.
A Prep Leadership Team book club has been introduced to encourage discussion and reflection, helping to shape leadership opportunities for all pupils.
Head of Ashville Prep School, Abigail Hiley, said:
“Whether that’s through sport, music, caring for our community or taking on new challenges, we are shaping girls who will not just navigate the world as it is, but will lead it into what it could be.
“I see our girls as our future scientists, artists, engineers, innovators and leaders, and we have a responsibility to nurture in them the confidence, resilience and self-belief they need to thrive.
“I want them to leave us not only with strong foundations for the next stage of their education, but with the courage to speak up, to lead and to change the world around them.
“Above all, I want every one of our pupils at Ashville Prep to know that they are capable of more than they’ve ever dreamed. With self-belief, courage and opportunity, there is no limit to what they can achieve.”
She added:
“The need for that belief and opportunity has never been clearer.
“Women now make up nearly half of the UK workforce, and around 40% of FTSE 100 board members are female, which is more than double what it was a decade ago.
“Yet, only about 10% of FTSE 100 CEOs are women. The gap is narrowing, but progress remains uneven, reminding us how important it is to proactively prepare our girls for the leadership roles they deserve in the future.”
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