International Women's Day at Roedean 2026

Celebrating Inspiring Women 2026

The world is changing. Women today have more opportunities in society. However, they still very often face inequality, and struggle for parity with men. The theme of International Women’s Day this year is ‘Give to Gain’, encouraging collaboration and collective action to accelerate gender equality.

Today, in 2026, more girls go to school than ever before. Nevertheless, a quarter of the way through the 21st century, more than 122 million girls worldwide are still denied an education because of their gender. For nearly two years, women in Afghanistan no longer have the right to speak outside the family home, and 1.5 million Afghan girls have deliberately been deprived of their right to any education. We are incredibly fortunate to be educated in the UK, and it is beholden upon us to take full advantage of whatever opportunities we have. Education is a right, but it is also a gift, which should be cherished.

Roedean was founded by the Lawrence sisters to provide girls with an education at least as good as that available to boys, and this vision still underpins the School’s ethos. Despite the changes in society, exposure to inspiring and successful female role-models will empower young women, and confirm their belief that they will make a difference in the world. Our students deserve to be encouraged and engaged, and empowered to use their voices to effect change.

To mark International Women’s Day 2026, Roedean is proud to hold its Festival Celebrating Inspiring Women on Friday 6 March, which has been combined this year with our Futures Fair. The School is delighted to welcome a diverse group of fifteen speakers to this event – a GP, academics, a Lieutenant Colonel, a plumber, an entrepreneur, musicians, an author – all women. To hear from speakers who are all at the forefront of the fields is exciting, enlightening, and, most of all, empowering.

Dr Ross Barrand – Deputy Head: Co-Curriculum and Partnerships

“I Claudine - Overcoming Challenges and Embracing the Journey to Strength”

From practical work as a plumber to offering her home as a foster carer, Claudine Eccleston has always been drawn to useful service. Now in retirement, she applies that same care and attention to local history.

She is the founder and a director of Playing the Race Card, a Hastings project that uses art to spark conversations about race and social justice, and storytelling to recover and share the overlooked histories of the town’s people of colour.

It’s all part of the same careful work: to repair, to welcome, and to remember.

Rachel Grimes Lieutenant Colonel

“Security Women”

Rachel is a former British Army officer and NATO International Civilian, who is currently a PhD research candidate at the University of Birmingham, under the guidance of Professor Mark Webber. She is a Trustee for the Non-Governmental Organisation Security Women, whose goal is to encourage greater representation of women in the security sector and in police organisations.

Rachel views herself as a “pracademic” and seeks to blend her practical military experience with academic defence research. She has deployed in most conflict spectrums: humanitarian operations in Bosnia; counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan and Northern Ireland; UN stability operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and conventional interstate conflict in Iraq in 2003.

Rachel was the first military Gender Adviser to work in the Office of Military Affairs in UN HQ, New York. She sought to increase engagement between Non-Governmental Organisations involved with UNSCR 1325 and the UN military planning staff, while simultaneously working to increase the number of women UN peacekeepers deployed in Female Engagement Teams. She was also responsible for mainstreaming human security related policies such as the protection of civilians and conflict related sexual violence across the work of ACT including hybrid-warfare, resilience and multi-domain operations.

Katherine Joy Professor

“From

the Earth to the Moon: How Geologists Explore Space?”

Katherine Joy works as a Professor at the University of Manchester. After studying Geology at university, she went on to research the Moon for her career, working on data analysis from an orbital European Space Agency mission, and studying pieces of Moon rock at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, USA.

In this talk she will describe how studying Earth and Planetary Sciences at university can open a wide range of career pathways, and can provide opportunities for travel to interesting places on the Earth (and maybe one day, beyond!).

“From Hola to Opportunities: The Power of Languages and Cultures in a Global Future to Promote Positive Change”

After graduating with a BA in French and Spanish Studies from Cambridge University in 1997, Dr Jane Lavery completed a PhD in Latin American Studies at Swansea University. Although she worked briefly in the City of London as a Business Consultant, languages and cultures were always her passion. She is now an Associate Professor in Latin American Studies at the University of Southampton. The author, co-author, and co-editor of five books on Latin American gender and cultural studies, her research has garnered wide media attention through interviews on BBC radio and TV, among other outlets.

In this interactive talk, Jane will discuss her passion for languages and their importance in today’s interconnected world. She will discuss her multilingual upbringing in Spain, her academic journey, and her research into feminist uses of the Day of the Dead to protest gendered violence and its surprising links to International Women’s Day. Finally, Jane will explore her longstanding advocacy for languages and cultural understanding; what a university languages degree involves, and the broad employability opportunities it offers, including examples of Southampton University female students who have gone on to do exciting and impactful work with languages.

Dr Anna Lukina

“Thinking

For a Living in the 21st Century”

Dr Anna Lukina is a philosopher investigating morally iniquitous, or ‘evil’, law. Currently a Fellow in Law at the London School of Economics and a Bye-Fellow at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, she will be speaking about being a junior humanities academic today.

Come for insights into research, teaching, and beyond, and stay for reflections on how to find one’s vocation in the world full of possibilities.

Angel Mokgokolo

“From Classroom Concepts to Real-World Systems”

In this talk, Angel Mokgokolo explores how young people begin forming ideas about careers long before they are asked to make formal subject choices. Drawing from her work at the intersection of education and industry, she reflects on how learners are taught engineering, energy, and environmental concepts in the classroom, yet rarely see how these ideas exist in the real world.

Angel shares insights from her experience building learning models that translate real South African projects from infrastructure and energy systems to environmental rehabilitation into curriculum-aligned learning experiences for learners in Grades 7–9. She highlights how visibility, accuracy, and context play a powerful role in shaping confidence, curiosity, and self-belief.

Rather than focusing on telling learners what to become, this session invites students to think about the importance of seeing work, systems, and problemsolving in action before making decisions about their future. The talk encourages young women to remain curious, to ask better questions, and to recognise that many of the industries shaping the world around them are accessible once they are made visible.

Amy Morvell

“A

Career in Dance”

Amy Morvell is a Dance Artist based in the South of England. From 2019 to 2020, she was an Associate Artist at The Point, Eastleigh and is currently the Creative Assistant for Lîla Dance. She specialises in choreographing, dancing, filmmaking, rehearsal directing, and teaching.

This talk will be an informal and inspiring conversation about Amy’s journey in the arts, focusing on her career in dance and how she carved her path in a competitive industry. She will reflect on the highs and lows of working in the sector, and how her training led her to where she is now.

Amy hopes the session will feel like an open and empowering dialogue, with plenty of time for questions, reflections, and discussion throughout, encouraging students to think boldly about their own futures, whether in dance, the arts, or any field they choose to pursue.

“Secrets. When and Why Do We Share Them? And When and Why Do We Remain Silent?”

Research says that most of us, whatever our age or circumstances, are keeping an average of thirteen secrets at any one time. Secrecy is one of the most fundamental of all human behaviours, but for millennia women have often been obliged, either by law or by the shifting opinion of society, to remain silent.

Our mothers, grandmothers, and their mothers often struggled to make their voices heard, but, in the age of social media, the sharing of experiences and feelings of guilt and shame can feel liberating but also precarious and consequential. How can we navigate with safety the pitfalls of secret-keeping and secret-sharing now?

Juliet has written a memoir about the changing role of daughterhood within the family and her new book, The Book of Revelations, is about women and secrets. She will share her own experiences of secrecy, her thoughts on the importance of trust, and the research and conversations about secrets that she has held with women of all ages and backgrounds.

Dr Elizabeth

Rendon-Morales

“Why

do We Need Girls in Electrical and Electronic Engineering?”

Women are essential in engineering to drive innovation, bring diverse perspectives, and address skills shortages. Increased gender diversity improves team creativity, problem-solving, and ensures products are designed for everyone. Only 16.5% of engineers in the UK are women, highlighting a critical need to bridge the gender gap.

In this presentation, she will share the many great reasons for girls to be involved in this exciting and diverse field of study, with an array of thriving career opportunities available. She will talk about how engineers use their problem-solving skills to confront many of the world’s biggest concerns, and the opportunity to create new technologies that will improve the way we live. She will also cover how studying and working in engineering will give you the chance to push the boundaries of technology and innovation, which will give you plenty of career options as employers are looking for female engineers.

Anna Robinson-Pant Professor

“Empowering

Women: Is Education the Solution?”

Anna Robinson-Pant set out for Nepal as a VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) volunteer teacher trainer in 1985. At that time, it was unusual to find girls going to school in the remote mountain areas, there were very few women teachers, and most adult women were unable to read and write. The Nepali Government and international aid agencies saw girls’ enrolment in school and adult literacy classes as the key to women’s empowerment.

Forty years on, Anna reflects on the dramatic changes in women’s lives that she has noticed, and asks whether education has really made the difference – or is it something else? Drawing on the stories of women and girls in Nepal, this presentation will invite you to think about how and why your life differs from that of your mother and grandmother.

After many years working with international development organisations and universities, Anna is now Emeritus Professor at the University of East Anglia School of Education and Lifelong Learning, and at the University of Sussex School of Global Studies. She currently holds the UNESCO Chair in Adult Literacy and Learning for Social Transformation, a collaboration with colleagues in Nepal, Ethiopia, Egypt, Malawi, and the Philippines.

Joanna Sofaer Professor

“An Archaeologist in Public Health?”

Joanna Sofaer (FSA, PFHEA) is Professor of Archaeology and Co-Director of the Southampton Institute for Arts and Humanities (SIAH) at the University of Southampton.

She works at the intersection between humanities and public health. Her work examines the role of cultural, community, and heritage assets in reducing future health challenges and inequalities. Her transdisciplinary collaborative approach bridges academic and non-academic worlds.

Joanna will explore how her archaeological skills and training are applied within the context of public health and community development.

Dr Katie Spensley

“Never a Dull Moment as a GP”

Having graduated from Nottingham University with a medical degree, Katie decided to move south to pursue her career. She has been a GP for over twenty years, and she was instrumental in setting up the Covid vaccination clinic for her area, has been an examiner for Medical students at Sussex University.

When she joined her current medical practice, she was the first female partner, and is now one of the two remaining partners, both of whom are female and working part-time, illustrating that women are slowly breaking through the glass ceiling.

Katie loves her career, which has exciting variety every day, dealing with a wide range of ages and ailments – there really is never a dull moment!

“The

Case for Staying Curious”

Dr Jillian Terry is Associate Professor and Co-Director of LSE100 at the London School of Economics, where she works with 2,000 first-year undergraduates, studying everything from economics to international relations to environmental policy.

We’re often told to specialise, to find our niche, to become an expert in one thing. But what if the most interesting questions – and the most meaningful careers – exist at the boundaries between subjects? What if climate justice needs both scientists and lawyers? What if understanding AI requires both mathematicians and philosophers?

In this talk, Jillian will challenge the idea that you need to pick just one passion and stick to it. Drawing on what she’s learned from teaching thousands of LSE students, she’ll explore how your ability to connect different ways of thinking could be your greatest asset. Whether you’re torn between subjects or confident in your chosen path, you’ll leave with a new appreciation for the power of intellectual curiosity and the value of staying open to unexpected combinations.

Candi Underwood

“Using Creativity to Thrive: How to Find your Superpowers and How to Use Them”

Candi Underwood is a professional performer, session singer, vocal coach, and founder/leader of City of Stars, a group of intermediate musical theatre choirs across Sussex. With over 16 years of experience in the industry, she’s been featured as both a singer and songwriter on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6Music, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Radio X, Planet Rock, and more, performed at nationwide festivals, sung in numerous function bands, been on several UK tours and more. Most recently she collaborated with Nick Cave and Matt Smith on Sky TV’s ‘The Death of Bunny Munro’, coaching the former through a singing scene, and featured in the Marks & Spencer Christmas Advert with her choir.

In this talk Candi will explore how listening to your gut, taking a risk, and finding out what works for you is key to success in the creative industries. She’ll chat through some of her biggest highs and lows, and how a constantly-evolving industry can keep you on your toes!

Josephine Vander-West

“Finding Your Voice”

Josephine is one half of the alternative pop duo Oh Wonder. The band have written, produced and released 5 studio albums, garnered 3 billion streams and played headline shows in 45 countries around the world. More recently, Josephine has released a solo album under the name That Woman, and designed and built NOLA, a coffee shop and Studio Highwater, a recording studio complex.

Her talk is entitled Finding YourVoice, and will explore how authenticity, determination, and self-belief took her from playing open mic nights in her local pub to headlining festivals, selling a million albums, and touring the world.

Programme

Session Time

1 08:45-09:45

2 10:00 – 11:00

Speakers

Angel Mokgokolo

Candi Underwood

Professor Katherine Joy

Dr Katie Spensley

Amy Morvell

Dr Jane Lavery

Dr Elizabeth Rendon-Morales

Professor Anna Robinson-Pant

Professor Joanna Sofaer

Lieutenant Colonel Rachel Grimes

Break 11:00 – 11:30

3 11:30-12:30

Juliet Nicolson

Dr Jillian Terry

Claudine Eccleston

Dr Anna Lukina

Josephine Vander West

Topic

From Classroom Concepts to Real-World Systems

Using Creativity to Thrive: How to Find your Superpowers and How to Use Them

From the Earth to the Moon: How Geologists Explore Space?

Never a Dull Moment as a GP

A Career in Dance

From Hola to Opportunities: The Power of Languages and Cultures in a Global Future

Why do We Need Girls in Electrical and Electronic Engineering?

Empowering Women: Is Education the Solution?

An Archaeologist in Public Health?

Security Women

Secrets. When and Why do We Share Them? And When and Why do We Remain Silent?

The Case for Staying Curious

I Claudine - Overcoming Challenges and Embracing the Journey to Strength

Thinking For a Living in the 21st Century

Finding Your Voice

Roedean School, Roedean Way, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 5RQ +44(0)1273 667500 roedean.co.uk Charity No.: 307063