‘We want girls who can learn without limits so they can live without limits’
Published by St Swithun's School on Monday 9th of March 2026
Katy Barnett, head of U6 at St Swithun's School, writes on why our new partnership with the International Coalition of Girls' Schools (ICGS) is another important step as we continue to champion the power and vital role of girls-only schools.
Imagine being in a room filled with educators who share this focus - the impact is electrifying. This was my introduction to the ICGS at their ‘Educating Girls’ symposium and I was immediately hooked.
The ICGS is a global organisation which is committed to safeguarding educational spaces where girls’ learning and healthy development is prioritised. Their values align strongly with St Swithun’s and it is energising to be part of a network of 500 schools who champion what we believe in.
What does this mean for our community? The breadth of the organisation for research and networking opportunities is staggering. I recently spoke with an ICGS colleague (David Hyde at Newcastle Girls High School) about his research on promoting oracy in the classroom. I also connected with educators in Australia and the USA who are exploring imaginative ways to accelerate girls’ progress. As our membership continues teachers will be able to use resources designed by the organisation and engage with the global community.
Parents can benefit too. If you are looking for something thoughtful to listen to on the school-run, they have a brilliant podcast series, ‘The Connected Girl’. All expert-led, thoughtful and entertaining. Topics include:
- ‘Talking to girls who don’t want to talk’
- ‘The power in knowing you matter’
- ‘Why curious girls will save the world’
I have been privileged to attend two ICGS ‘Educating Girls’ symposiums in London and each time I left inspired, invigorated and fizzing with ideas.
Speakers have included: Maggie Alphonsi, England rugby player and the first female to commentate on international men’s rugby; Dorothy Byrne, former president of Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge who fiercely defended the need for single sex spaces in higher education. We heard from alumnae who shared their experiences in finance, media, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and more. Each of them testified to the impact a single sex education had on them. The ICGS offers an unparalleled platform to learn from, and share, the impact of girls learning in a single sex environment.
At a time when we are hearing more about the closure of single sex schools, the ICGS remains passionately committed to ensuring that girls know, deep down, that there is nothing that can stand in their way. In girls’ schools, curriculums are designed for girls and place this as their priority.
Meghan Murray (Global CEO of the ICGS) urges educators to ‘listen boldly, speak bravely, and imagine widely’. This resonates deeply with me because it mirrors exactly what we nurture every day at St Swithun’s.
We ask our girls to be enquiring, courageous and unafraid of failure.
This is why we believe so strongly in our connection with the ICGS: it reflects our values, strengthens our resolve and joins us with a global movement that is bold and fearless in its pursuit of gender equity and equality.
Find out more about the value of an all-girls education at St Swithun's School.
