Yesterday evening, Francis Holland School, Sloane Square hosted a Launch Event for Dads4Daughters, a campaign that seeks to engage fathers in a conversation about gender equality in the workplace – the future workplace of their daughters.

The evening began with an enlightened debate and data analysis led by Lois Heslop and Maya Murad (Year 13). Expertly guided by Lois and Maya, the parents and students discussed questions such as whether they would leave their job if (as a woman), they found out they were being paid less than a male counterpart, whether gender stereotypes contribute to pay inequality in the workplace, and real actions men can take in the workplace to tackle gender inequality. It was incredibly inspiring to see the whole audience getting involved, describing their personal experiences and their own ideas and projections for the future workplace that our girls will inhabit.

We then listened to an inspiring and thought-provoking talk from Gaenor Bagley, Head of Corporate Purpose at PWC UK, who described the ‘leaky pipeline’ found in many large corporations. This means that, though in entry level positions the gender divide is often close to 50/50, as individuals move up through the company, the proportion of women in higher roles decreases sharply. Gaenor discussed the meaningful steps taken by PwC in tackling this, painting a positive picture of the future for women in the workplace.

This was followed by a highly competitive Dads (and Mums) vs Daughters Quiz, with the dads claiming the victory – chocolates all round! We’re very thankful to the parents and pupils that attended to support this initiative – the first time such an event has taken place at Francis Holland.

We hope that this event, alongside the wider ‘Careers Week’ at Francis Holland School, Sloane Square, has inspired girls to think and talk meaningfully about ‘What happens after school’.

If you or your daughter wish to discuss Careers in more detail, please contact Deborah Streatfield (Head of Careers) at ds@fhs-sw1.org.uk.