As we celebrate International Women's Day, LEH International School Foshan is proud to recognise the strength, resilience, and achievements of women around the world. As a sister school to the renowned independent girl school LEH School in London, we are particularly excited to highlight the legacy of Lady Eleanor Holles, the founder of our sister school, and the rich history of LEH School.
Message from Mrs Arden,
Headteacher at LEH Foshan
Happy International Women’s Day! International Women’s Day will always be a very special anniversary for me personally; it was the day I was officially appointed as Headteacher here at LEHF. I would like to thank the whole community for trusting in my leadership and celebrate how far we have come as a school.
Message from Mrs Hanbury,
Head Mistress at LEH London
Be bold, be brave!
Legacy of Empowering Girls
Through Education
Our sister school, LEH School in London UK, was founded by Lady Eleanor Holles in 1710. Lady Holles was a pioneering woman who believed in the power of education to transform lives. She established a school for girls that was ahead of its time, providing an education that was equal to that of boys. Today, her legacy lives on in LEH School, which remains a leader in girls' education.
Mrs Hanbury:
LEH has always sought to be at the forefront of education, wherever that may be. In its earliest days, it taught the least fortunate girls in our society to read and write – quite a remarkable skill for working class girls in 18th century London. Nowadays, we enable all our pupils to achieve the highest exam results to access the best universities in the world – quite a change since 1710! We also teach our pupils how to take their place in the world, with confidence and determination, knowing that they have the right to pursue their own goals whatever these might be.
Today, LEH School is one of the oldest and most respected girls' schools in England, known for its academic excellence, its commitment to personal and social development, and its strong sense of community. The school has a proud history of educating and empowering women, and its alumnae include leaders and innovators in fields such as science, politics, and the arts.
Alumna
Professor Dame Lesley Regan
- Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Imperial College London,
- The UK government's first ever Women's Health Ambassador
Alumna
Katie Gollop KC
A top barrister with a specialism in healthcare law
Alumna
Lydia Beaton
Chief Operating Officer at a charity called Race Against Dementia
Working Together for
Gender Equality
This International Women's Day, LEH Foshan celebrated the power of women and the remarkable legacy of Lady Eleanor Holles and LEH School. Although LEH Foshan is a co-ed school, we recognise the important role that women have played and continue to play in shaping our society and share LEH School's commitment to empowering girls and young women.
Mrs Arden:
LEHF emulates our sister school in how we challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, and seek out inclusion. Lady Eleanor Holles was ahead of her times and led the way in educating girls. Her belief in equity is something we can still champion every day here in China. We are not able to say our job is done therefore we will continue her drive and determination to make sure that the education we offer is progressive and mindful of the need to champion equal access to the curriculum. LEHF is proud of our ethos and the parity of subjects, we will continue to strive to be the best, to offer the best and to recognise the contribution everyone makes to the community regardless of age, gender, or race.
As we reflect on the progress that has been made towards gender equality, we recognise that there is still much work to be done. Women continue to face barriers to education, employment, and leadership roles today.
Mrs Arden:
Equality is the goal, and equity is the means to get there. Through the process of equity, we can reach equality. When we embrace equity, we embrace diversity, and we embrace inclusion at LEHF. We embrace equity to forge harmony and unity, and to help drive success for all. The world is every changing, but this message must remain a constant.
We are confident that by working together, we can create a more equitable and just world, where all individuals, regardless of gender, have the opportunity to thrive and succeed.
Mrs Arden:
The verb ‘embrace’ means to accept, adopt, and espouse willingly and enthusiastically. In other words, we don’t just say it or think it. We should all be it. Do it. Value it. When we truly embrace equality, we share the passion and excitement that comes from valuing and supporting difference. We need this special day to make time to reflect on how we can all be part of the solution, not the problem. Our 8cs promote a mindset which is fearless and challenging of any bias. LEHF will always promote education as the most powerful way to change the world one generation at a time.
Through our partnership with LEH School in the UK, we aim to provide our students with a truly global education that prepares them for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
Mrs Hanbury:
Women and girls around the world have much in common and struggle with many of the same problems; they also have much which makes them different to one another. The most important factor in developing mutual respect between our nations is understanding one another. Understanding can only be achieved through connections and dialogue. Whether they live in UK or in China, LEH pupils all have one very important thing in common: their link to Lady Eleanor Holles and her legacy. The two schools already use this common factor to initiate contacts between students. There is no doubt that this will continue to grow in future years.
While we celebrate International Women's Day, we honour the women who have paved the way for our success and inspired us to reach for the stars. We are proud to be part of the LEH global family, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with LEH School in London, UK to empower the next generation of leaders. Together, we will construct a society that fosters inclusivity and equity, enabling all individuals to flourish and achieve their goals.