About Us

Founders

University Council of Modern Languages

The University Council of Modern Languages (UCML) is the overarching national organisation which represents the interests of modern languages, linguistics and cultural area studies in higher education throughout the United Kingdom, and works with corresponding bodies in other countries.

“We are delighted to support this project as we recognise that gender stereotyping affects young learners across all subjects and narrows choice and aspiration. Modern languages is perceived in many quarters as a gendered subject that attracts overwhelmingly female students but we know that the benefits of multilingualism, both personally and professionally, are life enhancing and need to be promoted for all. We are, therefore, fully behind the Gender Action schools award project as it speaks to our deeply held conviction that there should be no limits or boundaries on young people’s educational achievements and imagination.”

Professor Claire Gorrara of Cardiff University, Chair of UCML

University College London

The UCL Institute of Education is a world-leading centre for research and teaching in education and social science. Founded in 1902, the Institute currently has more than 8,000 students and 800 staff.

“I’m delighted to be able to support this opportunity for schools to take action against gender stereotyping, and put young people at the heart of change. The IOE’s long history of research and impact in gender issues in education, and our deep partnerships with more than 600 London schools, put us in an ideal position to work alongside schools to play a leading role in ensuring that education provides equal opportunities for all.”

Professor Becky Francis, Former Director, UCL Institute of Education

Institute of Physics

The Institute of Physics is a leading scientific membership society working to advance physics for the benefit of all.

“The Gender Action schools award builds on our continuing work with teachers and is a positive and unique way for schools to address the impacts of gender stereotyping – and to be recognised for their efforts. “There is no evidence to suggest that any intrinsic differences in ability or interest explain why girls and boys choose subjects differently. We know that schools can create the right environment for young people to make choices free from gendered expectations and, working with this great group of partners and the GLA, we can turn our decades of evidence into something tangible, and supportive for young people.”

Professor Dame Julia Higgins, FRS FREng CPhys Hon FinstP, President of the Institute of Physics

King’s College London

King’s provides world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. With over 31,000 students, it’s one of the top 10 UK universities in the world.

“Gender Action is an unique opportunity for King’s, our partners, and universities across London to work with local schools to tackle the gender stereotypes that too often limit young people’s horizons and prevent them from pursuing careers that might be perceived as unexpected or out of the ordinary. Young people should never be discouraged from choosing one subject over another because of their gender and I hope that this important new campaign inspires a new generation of physicists, engineers, playwrights and linguists who might otherwise have turned their back on the subjects they enjoy and are passionate about.”

Baroness Deborah Bull, Vice President & Vice Principal (London)

Partners

DECSY

The Development Education Centre South Yorkshire (DECSY) promotes Global Learning: an approach to education that increases understanding of complex global issues, such as world poverty, conflict, climate change, migration and thinking about how to create a better world.

Gender Action is run by DECSY, an education charity working with schools for over 40 years to support them in developing global learning across the whole curriculum. Gender equality has been intrinsic to all of their work and has been a specific focus with their Gender Respect Project and subsequent European-wide projects to develop gender equality charter marks (GECM) for secondary and primary schools, evaluated by Universities in each country. The primary schools’ work of the Gender Respect Project has been recently published by Jessica Kingsley Publisher: Gender Equality in Primary Schools: A Guide for Teachers.

The founders and DECSY now exist as consortium partners. Gender Action is managed by DECSY and the consortium partners are an advisory body, giving in-kind support, not receiving money.

“We are delighted to be working with the consortium partners to roll out whole school development work on gender equality across the UK. We believe that a supportive framework such as Gender Action is essential to enable schools to fully engage with gender equality in all areas of school life. The overall outcome of this engagement will be that children and young people will not be limited by gender stereotypes, will be able to think critically about gender issues and will learn how to relate to each other respectfully.”

Helen Griffin and Clive Belgeonne, Global Learning Advisors and Gender Equality Leads.

Funders

Mission 44

Mission 44 is a charity, set up by Sir Lewis Hamilton, working to build a fairer, more inclusive future for young people around the world. Mission 44 invests in solutions that empower young people to overcome social injustice and succeed. The charity has been supporting Gender Action since February 2023.

Friends

Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce is a leading industrial technology company producing power systems for air, land and sea applications. We offer highly technologically advanced products and services, pushing the boundaries of physics to give our customers mission critical capabilities. We have core competencies in engineering, manufacturing, project management, customer care and aftermarket maintenance, repair & overhaul.

“Having a diverse and inclusive workforce is really important for a company like Rolls-Royce. Diverse teams perform better and are more innovative which is essential to remain competitive with the mission critical products & services we bring to life. In our core competencies like engineering, which historically has been seen as a subject for boys, it is essential that more girls can see themselves as future engineers and we get a more equal uptake of students studying engineering. “The work to eliminate gender stereotyping must start at an early age and needs to be focused across the whole school and not just girls. There should be no gender inequalities in any STEM subjects and girls & boys can both flourish and excel in these industries, providing they get there in the first place. Rolls-Royce supports Gender Action’s whole-school approach to challenge the gender inequalities that exist today and give equal opportunities to girls and boys.”

Chris Walker, UK Gender Diversity Network Co-Chair, Rolls-Royce

KIP Education

KIP Education is primarily focused on young people’s self-esteem and confidence and the repercussions of those needs not being met, whether it be around sexual health, addiction, self-harm, knife-crime & gangs or bullying.

“We all have an important part to play when it comes to, tackling stereotypes and in challenging sexism and sexual harassment, in youth settings. KIP Education CIC workshops and training seek to breakdown these barriers and empower young people , reinforcing the messages of gender equality that are imperative to our society. “We are thrilled to be supporting Gender Actions’ work in schools and make ground breaking change in tackling gender stereotyping.”

Charlotte Gordon, CEO

Royal Academy of Engineering

As the UK’s national academy for engineering and technology, we bring together the most successful and talented engineers from academia and business – our Fellows – to advance and promote excellence in engineering for the benefit of society.

“Gender stereotypes form the basis for conditioned expectations which can lead to unfair access to life opportunities and resources for growth. There is no evidence that girls and boys possess different skills and abilities, but characteristics and roles are nonetheless assigned based on gender identity. “At the Academy, we are committed to reducing the serious diversity deficit in the engineering profession. We are aware that gender biases can either strengthen or diminish the chances for pupils to engage with STEM related activities and to picture themselves as future engineers. Therefore, we use all our resources, expertise, knowledge, connections to tackle this issue. For instance, the Academy’s This is Engineering campaign aims to change the image of the engineer and engineering among the wider public. “We are delighted to support Gender Action’s award programme in schools and contribution to challenging gender stereotypes.”

Royal Geographical Society

The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) is the learned society and professional body for geography and geographers. We work to support the discipline in schools and universities, work with geographers in the wider professions and to promote geography to the public.

“Gender equality is a key part of empowering the next generation to rise to the pivotal challenges that our societies and environments face. Geography education fosters this by helping young people develop a wide-ranging understanding and awareness of the world, through learning about the diverse cultures, places, and natural landscapes that make up our planet. The Royal Geographical Society is delighted to support the Gender Action programme, reinforcing the right of all young people to this critical knowledge, and overcoming gender boundaries.”

Professor Joe Smith, Director, Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

The Fawcett Society

The Fawcett Society is the UK’s leading membership charity campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights at work, at home and in public life.

“We are delighted to support Gender Action’s whole-school approach. Gender stereotypes are at the root of the persistent inequalities we see throughout our society. They are damaging for girls and boys, harming their self-esteem, segregating their career and life choices, conditioning their expectations. Fawcett’s Commission on Gender Stereotypes in Early Childhood is currently examining the way we raise and educate our children, seeking to evidence the harms that gender stereotypes cause and challenge retailers and manufacturers to drop lazy stereotypes.”

Andrew Bazeley, Policy and Insights Manager

The Institution of Engineering and Technology

The IET looks to inspire, inform and influence the global engineering community to engineer a better world. As a diverse home across engineering and technology, they share knowledge that helps make better sense of the world in order to solve the challenges that matter. It’s why they are uniquely placed to champion engineering.

“The IET is passionate about inspiring the next generation of Engineers and Technicians required for the future and address the gender balance in the industry. It is vital that schools enforce and support positive discrimination to challenge gender inequalities and raise awareness of the STEM career opportunities available to all and help to engineer a better world for us to live in.”

David Lakin, Head of Education 5-19

You Be You

You Be You is a charity with the vision that no child leaves primary school believing that their gender limits their potential. Quite simply, it is about arming young children with the choice, confidence and life skills to make the most of their futures.

“At You Be You, our vision is that no child leaves primary school believing that their gender limits their choices. Research shows that damaging gender stereotypes have already embedded by by age ten, and that poor children are more likely to limit their aspirations based on these stereotypes. However, not enough is being done to address gender-based stereotypes early in childhood, in boys as well as girls, and across all cultures, classes, and religions. Choosing one’s own path should be a right, not a luxury. We aim to build confidence and skills — for all children — through fun and engaging lessons, workshops, and activities for schools and parents. More than that, we aim to shift the perceptions of schools, families and children to open possibilities for the next generation.”

Bilkis Miah, Founder and CEO

Collins

William Collins’ dream of ‘knowledge for all’ began with the publication of his first book in 1819. A self-educated mill-worker, he founded a flourishing publishing house in Glasgow and went on to enrich the lives of millions through his publishing. Collins is now an imprint of HarperCollins UK, and is known throughout the world for providing accessible, authoritative and informative content in print and digital formats.

“From authors, to storylines, to characters, Collins is committed to diversity and inclusivity, giving visibility and representation to the readership and communities we serve. “Through our primary reading programme, Collins Big Cat, we are proud to publish many brilliant books for children across diverse genres and tackling a wide range of subjects. “Our new STEM fiction books featuring female protagonist, Tara Binns, tell empowering stories that promote ambition, resilience and achievement in STEM careers. “We are delighted to be supporting Gender Action as it works to help schools make a fundamental shift in how they tackle gender stereotyping, so no child’s ambitions are limited.”

Lizzie Catford, Primary Publisher

British Science Association

The British Science Association (BSA) is a registered charity which exists to advance the public understanding, accessibility and accountability of the sciences and engineering. Its vision is of a world where science is at the heart of society and culture.

“The BSA believes that science is for everyone, regardless of background, culture or gender. Socially constructed roles for men and women have not only limited some people’s aspirations and opportunities but also had a damaging effect on the world of science. Our CREST Award scheme has a long standing history of equal gender participation, which is something we work hard to maintain and build on. We welcome this initiative that takes a whole-school approach to gender equality and hope it will trigger widespread cultural change.”

Maria Rossini, Head of Education

MEI

Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI) is an independent charity committed to improving maths education. We support schools and colleges through a range of professional development and student enrichment activities, and develop innovative resources to enhance teaching and learning. MEI manages the government-funded Advanced Mathematics Support Programme (AMSP) and is a partner in the National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (NCETM).

“MEI promotes the importance, relevance and enjoyment of studying maths beyond GCSE to students in Key Stage 4 through the work of the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme. We believe that continuing to study maths widens the range of opportunities available to young people. It helps them to gain skills and confidence in applying the maths they may meet in higher education, and/or the workplace, and develops transferrable skills, such as problem solving and reasoning. Maths is the most popular subject at A level, but boys are more likely to study it than girls. We want to encourage more girls to study maths as we believe in equal outcomes for all students and don’t want anyone’s potential to be limited in later life by thinking that certain subjects or careers are gender specific. This is not something that maths teachers can tackle in isolation and we fully support the whole school approach of Gender Action.”

Sarah Denison, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Lead

National Education Union

The National Education Union (NEU) – formed by the amalgamation of the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers – is the largest education union in the UK. The NEU brings together over 460,000 teachers, lecturers, support staff and leaders working in maintained and independent schools and colleges across the UK. We’re committed to making education a great place to work, a great place to teach, and a great place to learn.”

“Schools and colleges have a vital role to play in breaking down stereotypes and in challenging sexism and sexual harassment. Our report “Its Just everywhere” showed that sexism is an issue for every school in every community. We want to empower students, leaders and teachers to work together within a whole school approach to make change happen. We are delighted to work with the Gender Action Programme as a key initiative to take this work forward and truly embed gender equality in education.”

Ros McNeil, Assistant General Secretary for Education, Equalities, Research and International

Lifting Limits

Lifting Limits’ mission is to challenge gender stereotyping and promote gender equality, in and through education. With a focus on early intervention, Lifting Limits offers a comprehensive, whole school programme of training and resources for primary schools and early years settings.

“Gender Action is a positive step towards meaningfully embedding gender equity within schools. Our whole school approach draws on the same evidence base and we are delighted to see such a prestigious group of organisations develop a universal framework. We look forward to supporting primary schools in their journey to become Gender Action schools.”

Caren Gestetner, Chief Executive

British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations.

“Our founding purpose was to create a friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. The learning of languages is vital to this. Currently in the UK, boys are much less likely than girls to study languages to a higher level and so less likely to develop the skills and cultural understanding that come with language learning. We are keen to encourage language learning for all and ensure that no one is held back by gender stereotypes.”

Vicky Gough, Schools Adviser

Mayor of London

The Mayor of London, as part of his #behindeverygreatcity campaign, helped Gender Action undertake a Phase 1 roll-out with London schools between 2018 and 2020.

“London is a city of opportunity and young Londoners are the scientists, engineers and designers of the future. The new Gender Action award for schools will support teachers to ensure that no young person in the capital is held back by gender stereotypes and show that London in leading the way in gender equality.”

Joanne McCartney, Deputy Mayor for Education and Childcare