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The Ladies' College is running a series of events this week to promote better understanding of safeguarding, sexual harassment and respect.
The school said that students, parents and staff were using the inaugural Safeguarding Awareness Week "to explore what it means to feel safe" and "to ensure The Ladies’ College community understands and recognises inappropriate, disrespectful and misogynistic behaviour and what to do about it".
Activities include a pledge wall to encourage the school community to consider what can be done to address online sexual harassment, tutor time activities about recognising and reporting sexual harassment and an update from the Student Leadership Team on its recent project: What does respect mean to you?
Pictured: The Ladies' College is putting on events throughout Safeguarding Awareness Week, which runs from 16 until 22 May.
Dr Vanessa Mitchell, Deputy Principal Pastoral at The Ladies' College, said: "I am very encouraged by the addition of an awareness week such as this.
"Not only do we have some interactive and valuable activities for our girls, but staff and parents will have access to a range of webinars with safeguarding experts exploring what we can do to protect young women.
"The resources, guidance and advice will ensure we have preventative measures in place to guard against sexual harassment and abuse in our community."
Safeguarding Awareness Week is run by Times Educational Supplement. It follows recent national reports of a rise in sexual harassment in schools.
Since March last year, thousands of testimonies of peer-on-peer sexual harassment have been shared from young people across the globe on the 'Everyone's Invited' website.
In February this year, The Guardian reported on a survey of women and girls between the ages of 13 and 21 who use social media in which more than one in three respondents said they had suffered sexual harassment. Evidence indicates that the effect on victims can include lowering educational attainment.
Pictured: Daniele Harford-Fox has been recognised nationally for her work in this area.
"The problem of sexual harassment in schools has been underplayed for years," said Daniele Harford-Fox, Principal of The Ladies' College.
"Research has found that 59% of girls had faced some form of sexual harassment at school in the past year. A sticking plaster won’t fix this. We have to genuinely look at our culture and ask why this behaviour continues.
"As the leader of a girls’ school, I know we can’t solve the problem, but we can at least create space for young women and empower them to challenge this culture so that positive change, for the benefit of everyone, can happen."
Pictured: Express recently reported on an impressive inspection report on The Ladies' College.
An inspection report on The Ladies' College was released last week.
"Pupils have a strong sense of fairness and not only appreciate the value of kindness but practice it in their everyday lives," they said.
"Pupils are strongly supported by a pastoral team that is available when needed and a curriculum which addresses mental and physical health issues well."
They also said that girls at the school "do not feel self-conscious or fearful" and speak "without inhibition or fear of making mistakes".
Ladies' College gets glowing report
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