200 female students aged 4 – 18 and staff at ACS International School Egham recently took part in Barclays and the FA’s Let Girls Play; the largest all-girls football session to take place across the UK, giving girls equal access to football at school. Female coaches from football academies Phoenix Academy and We Make Footballers, led the session alongside other sport activities, making the initiative wholly inclusive.
Lauren Kelley, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Coordinator at ACS Egham, said: “We wanted to tackle the overall drop in female athletes’ participation in sport at school. By hosting Let Girls Play, we were able to ensure that all girls had a positive sports experience. There was a really powerful sense of camaraderie throughout the day.”
When asked how they felt playing in an all-female session, one Grade 4 student said: “I felt so free”. Another Grade 8 student added: “I am amazed at how many girls chose to take part – there are so many of us here!”
On the same day, ACS Egham hosted ‘Let Boys Talk’ sessions for all male-identifying students at the school, where students were encouraged to discuss their feelings and the common masculine stereotypes they face in today’s society. These events kick off a wider school initiative at ACS Egham which focuses on gender inequality, other events are planned to take place throughout the remainder of the academic year.
Categories: ACS International School Egham School News
