Head of London girls’ school does not call pupils ‘girls’

The headmistress of one of the country’s most prestigious girls’ schools says she has stopped calling her pupils ‘girls’ in a bid not to alienate transgender pupils.

James Allen’s Girls’ School’s head teacher Sally-Anne Huang says she now refers only to ‘pupils’ and not ‘girls’, as well as replacing the pronoun ‘she’ to ‘they’.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, she said: ‘I try not to say ‘girls’ [but] when you have been teaching for 20 years it is very hard not to say ‘girls’.

James Allen’s in Dulwich, south east London, is the oldest all girls’ school in the capital, founded in the eighteenth century by visionary James Allen.

Mrs Huang, who started at the school in September 2015, said she has changed her vocabulary to be sensitive towards those pupils considering changing their sex.

Headmistress of James Allen’s Girls’ School Sally-Anne Huang is pictured with some of her pupils in Dulwich, south east London, which is the oldest of its kind in the capital

The Oxford-educated head teacher is active on social media, with a regular blog discussing everything from her teenage crush on George Michael to why she does not wish to see private schools abolished.

Posting on Twitter she wrote today: ‘Was talking about trans pupils specifically. Our G in JAGS always stands for girls! But glad to raise profile of the issue.’

At James Allen’s students are allowed to wear trousers, cut their hair short and be called boys names if they wish.

The school’s website reads: ‘Perhaps we get our dynamic, all-embracing approach to education from our founder James Allen.

‘Right up to the present day our approach to girls’ education, music and the community has set new boundaries and we are proud of this continuing tradition of innovation.’  

Sir James’ Allen’s Girls’ School is the oldest private girls’ school in London and boasts a ‘tradition of innovation and all-embracing approach to education’