Woke school: Headmistress removes 'outdated' head boy and girl titles to be 'known as an inclusive community'

Woke school: Headmistress removes 'outdated' head boy and girl titles to be 'known as an inclusive community'
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Luke Ridley

By Luke Ridley


Published: 20/12/2021

- 16:34

Updated: 21/12/2021

- 09:21

The 47-year-old Head said the new terms would provide 'a welcoming atmosphere for all' and move away from 'the outdated notion of a head girl and boy'.

Headmistress Rachael Lucas has removed the titles of 'head boy' and 'head girl' at her school after declaring the titles were 'outdated' as the school aims to be 'known as an inclusive community'.

The Head Teacher at Bolton St Catherine's Academy said pupils who were elected would now be known as 'head ambassadors', a new gender neutral term.


The 47-year-old Head said the new terms would provide 'a welcoming atmosphere for all' and was part of the school's desire to be 'known as a more inclusive community'

Mrs Lucas said: 'At Bolton St Catherine's Academy we recognise and celebrate diversity and inclusion.

Headmistress Rachael Lucas from Bolton St Catherine's Academy
Headmistress Rachael Lucas from Bolton St Catherine's Academy

'We are delighted to be able to showcase our commitment to this by thinking about how we address our lead student ambassadors - moving away from the outdated notion of a head girl and boy.

'Small gestures can have big impacts, and with many other initiatives around school, we are signalling our resolution to be an institution that is welcoming to all.'

A social media post form the school also included: 'Taking the place of the traditional Head Boy and Girl titles, we will now use the term Head Ambassadors. The three selected students to take on this exciting role are Sophia, Ted and Jemima.

New Head Ambassadors Sophia Hughes, Ted Hodson-Fitton and Jemima Alasoudura
New Head Ambassadors Sophia Hughes, Ted Hodson-Fitton and Jemima Alasoudura

New Head Ambassador Jemima said: "Being someone from a multi-heritage background within an English school, has helped me to understand the importance of celebrating culture and diversity within school life, and as a head's ambassador it's essential to me that as a school that we celebrate those differences that make us all unique.'

The school, which was formed in 2009, following the merger of two other schools currently has an 'LGBTQ+ group' for students.

History teacher Mrs Lucas arrived at St Catherine's in 2017 having been deputy head at Sir John Thursby Community College in nearby Burnley.

Earlier this year she said she would be filing a report to public health officials about pupils flouting lockdown edicts after several schoolgirls turned up to class wearing false eyelashes having had them applied by professional beauticians, apparently in breach of Covid rules.

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