The Writing Award 2026 – Junior
1 May 2026
Student Events
News & views
🎶 A moment worth listening to…
The winners of the GSA Senior Choir of the Year 2026, Nottingham Girls` High School GDST, in full song.
The Girls` Schools Association, lifting up girls voices since 1874.
Our newly published research report, The Academic Attainment and Representation of Girls in STEM, reveals some striking findings about girls` schools and STEM education.
Analysing the latest data from the Department for Education, the report shows that girls in GSA schools are significantly more likely to study STEM subjects at A level than their peers in co-educational settings:
💪 Nearly 3x more likely to take Further Maths
💪 More than 2x more likely to take Physics
💪 More than 2x more likely to take Computer Science
💪 Computer Science entries up 16% in a single year
Girls in GSA schools also continue to outperform their co-educated peers academically, with stronger results at both GCSE and A level across attainment and point scores.
Our Chief Executive Jeanette Cochrane says: "The gender gap in STEM doesn`t exist in girls` schools – it`s been closed. While the rest of education is still working out how to get girls into Physics and Computer Science, girls` schools are already achieving this. Girls` schools create environments where curiosity, ambition and leadership aren`t the exception – they`re the expectation. This report is further proof that when you design education around girls, they excel."
Read the full report on our website. The link is in our bio.
🏆 Woman of the Week 🏆
This week, as we look ahead to The Boat Race, we celebrate Louise Kingsley MBE, alumna of Lady Eleanor Holles and a trailblazer in British rowing.
Awarded an MBE earlier this year in the King’s New Year Honours, Louise has led GB Rowing to record Olympic and Paralympic success and, as the first woman to head British Rowing’s Performance programme, has shaped the sport at every level.
Reflecting on the honour, Louise described it as “recognition of the hard work and dedication that goes into the GB Rowing Team from all of staff, athletes and volunteers. Rowing is an incredible team sport and I am in a very privileged position having been introduced to it whilst a pupil at LEH and now being able to lead the World Class Programme.”
From her early role in establishing rowing at LEH to leading athletes on the world stage, Louise’s journey is a powerful reminder of where girls’ ambitions can take them.
Who will you be cheering on on Saturday April 4, Oxford or Cambridge?
The Girls` Schools Association Listening Tour ended this term at Channing School and it was an excellent one to finish on.
Hosted by GSA President and Headmistress Lindsey Hughes, our Chief Executive, Jeanette Cochrane was inspired by the Head Girls who led her on a tour of the school.
Just months from finishing school, the Head Girls both clearly know who they are and are ready to grasp all that life has to offer. They know that they have a vital role play in challenging out-dated misconceptions about what girls and women can do, and are unafraid to. This readiness comes from years of being taken seriously and being coached by fearless teachers to understand the power of their opinions and talents.
Young women, themselves, are always the best argument for our girls-only schools and it’s abundantly clear that the Channing girls are perfectly poised to make the case for girls` schools themselves. The world is in the good hands of these brave, bright and brilliant young women.
Thank you to the GSA President and Headmistress Lindsey Hughes and the whole Channing Community for such an inspiring day.
The GSA Listening Tour Continues...
This week, our Chief Executive, Jeanette Cochrane, spent time with GSA Vice-President Alex Hutchinson, Head at James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) for a vibrant discussion on girls’ education, diversity and access.
JAGS is the oldest independent girls’ school in London and the visit provided a glimpse into the day-to-day life of an incredible institution which has been a leading voice in girls’ education for nearly 300 years.
Alex reflected on the power of the GSA and what it means to be a member:
“Being part of the GSA amplifies the collective mission of the Heads of girls’ schools: we refuse to accept limitations on what girls can do. At JAGS, we see why that legacy matters each and every day. Girls are encouraged to think boldly, act with confidence, and step into leadership with courage and compassion.
“Our community celebrates individuality and champions girls from every background so they can discover their own voice and purpose. The Girls` Schools Association gives us the collective strength to continue advocating for equity and access, and to ensure that girls’ schools remain places where young women discover both who they are and the extraordinary impact they can have on the world.”
JAGS is yet another shining example of all that is brilliant about girls` schools: places where girls are heard, where girls take the lead, and where girls confidently shape their futures.
Thanks to Alex Hutchinson and to whole of JAGS for such an inspiring and energising visit. We can’t wait to see what the girls do next!
💰 Money Talks: Girls, Power, and the Economy
In this candid Q&A, as part of our Leading the Conversation series, with George Vlachonikolis, Assistant Head (Staff Development) at Headington Rye Oxford, the Girls’ Schools Association explores why girls’ economic agency matters and considers what needs to change if the next generation is to shape the future economy rather than simply inherit it.
From global markets to household finances, economic decisions shape power, opportunity, and influence. Yet women remain underrepresented in the careers that determine how societies allocate wealth and value work.
Read more about how George has spent over a decade backing girls` talents and abilities, and developing a ground-breaking curriculum that reduces the barriers girls face in economics.
As he says: “I have spent a lot of time thinking about ways to reduce the barriers that cause girls to think that economics “isn’t for them”. The most common one is maths. Or, more accurately: girls’ tendency to underestimate their ability in maths. Let me be clear: it is a myth that you need a high level of numerical ability to succeed at AL economics. I’ve spent the last decade telling anyone who will listen that this is a myth and that schools which still insist on a rigid GCSE maths grade 7 requirement to take AL economics or business are doing those students an enormous disservice.”
The interview also features his excellent take on some leading female economists worth checking out; work that is a genuinely feminist approach to economics education; and brilliant authors writing about a fairer system that involves policies around income and wealth redistribution.
What do you think a genuinely feminist approach to economics education looks like? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear what you think!
Read his full interview: Money Talks: Girls, Power, and the Economy on our website. The link is in our bio.
🏆 Woman of the Week 🏆
This week we`re celebrating Grace Spence Green, alumna of South Hampstead High School GDST, whose memoir To Exist As I Am has been longlisted for the Waterstones Women`s Prize for Non-Fiction 2026, one of the most prestigious celebrations of outstanding female voices.
Now a qualified doctor and powerful advocate for disability inclusion, her memoir traces her journey with honesty and courage after a sudden, life-changing accident in her fourth year of medical school.
Grace said: "What a privilege to be on this longlist amongst these incredible women. As a first-time writer it is hugely validating and such a joy to be nominated!"
The paperback is published later this month and we couldn`t be prouder.
Grace`s story is a powerful reminder of what it means to find your voice and use it.
Feeling inspired to write yourself? The 2026 GSA Writing Award is now open! Find out more about the Junior Competition: https://gsa.uk.com/event/the-writing-award-junior-2026/ and Senior Competition: https://gsa.uk.com/event/gsa-the-writing-award-senior-2026/
Jeanette Cochrane, our CEO, has continued meeting with The Girls` Schools Association headteachers on her UK-wide Listening Tour.
This week, she spent time with Dr Frances Ramsey, Head at Godolphin and Latymer School and the whole school community.
Particular highlights included: seeing girls of every age getting out into the Spring sunshine playing sports to relax and recharge together; hearing directly from the Sixth Form students who are keen advocates for the International Baccalaureate, and taking part in fascinating discussions on the Theory of Knowledge element from the course.
Dr Ramsey said: "Being part of the Girls` Schools Association is something we value enormously. Its training events provide learning support for our teachers, alongside exceptional opportunities to connect and share best practice. As Head, I find the GSA conferences particularly effective in bringing together a broad community of schools united by a common purpose."
Huge thanks to Dr Ramsey and the school for hosting the GSA’s professional development event, From Teacher to Head of Department, on the same day. The teachers who will lead our departments, and eventually our schools, do not emerge fully formed: they need structured development, visible investment, and access to networks and we’re proud to lift up the careers of colleagues in our schools` communities.
Thank you Dr Ramsey and to the the whole Godolphin and Latymer school community for such an informative and energising visit.
Stay tuned for two more school visits from the Listening Tour next week!
🎤 What happens when you hand the microphone to young women and really listen?
In our latest ‘Leading the Conversation’, we’ve done exactly that with the brilliant Annie and Natasha, the Head Girls at Channing School, and they’re not holding back.
As they say: "Too often, conversations about young people take place without directly involving them, despite them being the ones most affected by the outcomes of those discussions."
After the GSA Heads’ Conference, the Head Girls from Channing School returned with burning questions following a Q&A with Hugo Rifkind and Lucy Manning they hosted live on stage, as part of the event. They put vital questions on technology, belonging, pressure, representation, and the realities of growing under the spotlight.
We caught up with them to find out more. The result is honest, thoughtful views from two young women who are actively shaping the conversation about girls` education.
Don’t miss out, read their full interview on our website. The link is in our bio.
🏆 Woman of the Week 🏆
This week we celebrate Anna Jewell from King’s High Warwick.
Anna`s Head of Philosophy and Theology at the school and leads on Equality Diversity Inclusion and Global Perspectives. She’s been at the heart of creating chances for students to explore faith, culture and spirituality. Inspiring examples of her work include introducing a Peace Pod and dedicated prayer room to school.
This week she’s brought everyone together to host The Big Iftar as part of a national initiative that encourages neighbourliness and shared experiences during Ramadan. Over a nurturing evening that included conversations and Arabic calligraphy the fasting school community broke their fast after the Call to Prayer with a glass of water and some dates, followed by a wonderful feast thoughtfully cooked and made by the school’s kitchen team.
Anna said:
“It was a wonderful evening which showcased King’s at its finest, learning from each other and embracing our communities to work towards a more peaceful future.”
One girl reflected: “The atmosphere feels calm and special and it reminds me of how important family and togetherness truly are.”
A wonderful lesson in peace and harmony and one to be celebrated. Thank you, Anna, for shaping meaningful experiences for our girls. 🕊️
Young imaginations have the power to shape the future and this year’s GSA Writing Awards invite girls to do exactly that.
Two exciting categories encourage different age groups to explore robotics, artificial intelligence and the moment technology comes to life through storytelling.
Junior Award
The Robot Awakes
For girls aged 7-11 (Years 3 to 6)
Write a short story imagining the exact moment a robot becomes aware for the very first time. What does it see, hear or feel? What questions might it ask? Where could its journey lead? Let your imagination bring that first spark of life to the page.
Senior Award
Girls in 2026: A Life in Robotics and AI
For girls aged 11-18 (Years 7-13)
Imagine a future shaped by robotics and AI and explore how girls might design, lead and shape new technologies. Entries can be creative or discursive, bringing to life the opportunities, challenges and possibilities ahead.
We’re delighted that this year’s entries will be judged by acclaimed authors Tamsin Winter and Joyce Efia Harmer.
Entries close on 1 May and winners will be announced at the GSA Summer Briefing.
If you’re a GSA member find out more using the links in our bio.
📸 Benenden School
🎵 What a celebration of girls` talent, confidence and joy at Choir of the Year, yesterday.
From the first note to the final applause, the standard was extraordinary. Every choir brought commitment, musicality and real presence to the stage, filling the room with sound and spirit.
At The Girls` Schools Association we often talk about helping girls find their voice and this spectacular event is a perfect example of what that means. Bringing together the singing voices of girls their courage and confidence shines through.
GSA CEO Jeanette Cochrane said: “You are all winners, you have created music together, shared it with an audience, and reminded us all of the extraordinary power of girls` voices.”
Congratulations to our winners:
🎉 Junior Choir of the Year: North London Collegiate School, with beautiful renditions of Flight Song by Kim André Arnesen and Lightning by Greg Gilpin.
🎉 Senior Choir of the Year: Nottingham Girls’ High School GDST, with stunning performances of Nella Fantasia by Morricone arr. Neaum and Dancing Song by Kodály.
Thank you to all the choirs who took part and made the day so memorable.
Junior choirs
Burgess Hill Girls
North London Collegiate School
Blackheath High School GDST
The Old Vicarage School
Howell’s School Llandaff GDST
Headington Rye Oxford Prep School
Senior choirs
Burntwood School
Thornton College
South Hampstead High School GDST
Queen’s College London
Tormead School
Nottingham Girls’ High School GDST
Our warmest thanks must go to our brilliant host Member school, St Helen & St Katharine School and to the support of our sponsors, ABRSM, the exam board of the Royal Schools of Music.
Thank you also to our outstanding judges Dr Charlotte Exon, Holly Mathieson and Dr Charles Béquignon-Macdougall for their expertise and care on the day.
And finally, to the teachers, families and supporters who travelled from across the country to support the choirs and to the GSA team working tirelessly behind the scenes, thank you for making the day possible.
