Grammar’s no head girl or boy is seized on by national media

The school installed a chairperson and vice-chairperson of the student body before half-term as a way to ‘ensure stereotypes disappear’, according to head teacher Liz Coffey.

An election and interview process led to two boys being appointed in the leadership roles, with three girls on the student voice leadership council they represent.

St Sampson’s High has indicated it will be guided by students on whether to instigate a similar change.

iNews, the daily news-in-brief site which originated in print in lieu of The Independent, featured a piece by Lucy Holden, who said that although the move was well-intentioned the story had made her ‘laugh out loud’.

‘The idea, I’m sure, came from a well-meaning place – it’s possible Mrs Coffey was considering the increasing number of students who identify as either gender-neutral or transgender. But where are the young women?

‘By trying to rid the school of stereotypes, the school has reinforced one of the most damaging: men are leaders, women aren’t,’ she said.

In The Guardian, Laura McInerney supposed the idea of head boy and girl posts could be eradicated altogether.

‘In the US schools system, responsibilities are spread around: sports captains, class presidents, prom chair, yearbook editor. In the UK, we are sniffy about this sort of “prizes for everyone” approach. But from the vantage point of a non-binary future – in which we value people for what they do, rather than for lazy generic labels – it might just be the best approach.’

St Sampson’s head teacher Annabel Bolt said the school has a head boy and head girl as well as a number of other leadership positions for students and said she had not thought of changing the roles before now.

‘I would want to take a lead from our students. So I will start a discussion at some point and see what comes back. However, I do think we need leaders from the student body, whatever they are called,’ she said.