Rachel Bailey, Headmistress of Benenden School, on the virtues of an all-girls education
With single-sex education under the microscope in recent years (think Winchester, Charterhouse, Abingdon), our next guest knows a thing or two about what works and what doesn't. Rachel Bailey is the Headmistress of Benenden School in Kent, one of the UK's most prestigious independent schools for girls. With experience across both state and independent, Rachel tells Henry Faber about her first year heading up Benenden, her approach to leadership and her ambition to make the school "the leading girls' boarding school in the world".
In her characteristically expressive way, Rachel dissects the perils of teenage life in our digital world, the virtues of of an all-girls education and the balancing act between tradition and innovation in a changing sector. She is a passion advocate for female voice as she echoes the school ethos to be "brave, not perfect", calling for young women to take risks and shape their own future.
🎙️ Episode highlights
A huge riding fan, Rachel discusses how her instructor (and her mother) taught her to set high expectations.
She looks back at her first at the helm of Benenden, calling it "a match made in heaven" and sets out her long-term ambition for the school.
She discusses the pressures facing teenage girls these days, from perfectionism to social media, and how single-sex education creates a space for them to thrive.
She is a passionate advocate for all-girls education, revealing the compelling data to show how girls go on to succeed, as well as debunking the myths and stereotypes.
She doesn't hide behind her opinion that many schools are going co-ed for financial reasons rather than educational principles.
And finally, she discusses Benenden's overseas ventures and the role of international expansion in the sector.