Leadership Likes: Mrs Bradshaw

At this time last year, I wrote the remembrance Leadership Likes. I spoke about my experiences in a military family and about the support that being part of the Military Wives Choir had brought my sister.

This year as I stood for our two minute’s silence, I reflected not just on the loss of life and the sacrifice on the battlefield, but on the ordinary people caught in the crossfire. When History is ‘written by the victors’, it is sometimes easy to forget how helpless those who live through conflicts must feel. One of my favourite texts that we teach at Croydon High is a book called Oranges in No Man’s Land, by Elizabeth Laird. One of the fantastic aspects of teaching this text is that Elizabeth Laird is an alumna (if your daughter is below Year 4 – please don’t tell them – the lesson where they discover this for themselves is very special).

The book follows Ayesha,  a ten year old girl, caught in the civil war

in Lebanon. It is a fantastically well-told story and serves as an excellent reminder that while it is, more often than not, men who fight in uniform, the lives of women and girls can be devastated by conflict.

For those of us with family who served in Afghanistan, for those of us who are passionate about the personal and societal benefits of educating girls and for those of us who support the right of women to live their lives as they choose, watching the withdrawal of US and UK troops from the country was difficult. Whatever someone’s political or moral standpoint on the situation, I am sure that the worry about the situation now faced by many women in Afghanistan is something that unites all of us.

Today our own Amnesty International group held a fundraising event with those affected and displaced by conflict in mind. The student-led event is raising money for Amnesty International, with a specific focus on women and girls in Afghanistan, and for Young Roots, a local charity working with refugees. I visited the fundraiser and it was so impressive to see pupils so engaged and compassionate.

As well as Oranges in No Man’s Land (which I would only encourage Senior girls to read or it will spoil Year 4’s English curriculum!) I thought I would share some of my favourite books about women and girls in conflict. I hope that sharing these at home might start an interesting reflection and conversation about women and girls who were, or are, not as fortunate to live with peace and freedom as we do.

The Breadwinner

Novel by Deborah Ellis

The Silver Sword

Novel by Ian Serraillier

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

Book by Judith Kerr

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

Novel by Eleanor Coerr

The Book Thief

Novel by Markus Zusak

Mrs Sophie Bradshaw

Deputy Head (Sixth Form and Operations)