Our Work in Schools
To date, our programmes have worked directly with individual schools. The programme starts with a 2-3 hour inset session for all staff, delivered by Lifting Limits. It is then rolled out through the school by a nominated staff member – the Gender Champion.
The Gender Champion has full support from Lifting Limits through the academic year, including scheduled online meetings and continued support via email and an extensive resource pack. For more details of what this support entails, see below. We also run additional workshops or activities with staff or families, depending on school needs.
The programme is designed by teachers. It sits within the national curriculum and meets its learning objectives, so as not to create additional work for educators.
If you are interested in finding out more about our work in individual schools, please do get in touch.
While we are still currently offering this work in individual schools, we are also adapting this model to make it easier to deliver at scale – please continue reading to find out more.
Training
We can offer a range of training sessions for schools.
Please email info@liftinglimits.org.uk to express your interest.
The Original Pilot
In 2018-2019, we ran an externally evaluated pilot in five primary schools in the London Borough of Camden, testing our model and resources.
Over the last few years, the pilot outcomes have informed a roll-out of our programme, in schools across the country.
Scaling Up our Gender Equality in Schools programme
Since our inception, we have reached around 30 primary schools, over 1000 educators and in excess of 12,000 children.
In 2022, we launched a second pilot to scale up our Schools programme to reach even more primary schools across the country. The programme trains groups of Gender Champions to roll out the programme in their schools.
The pilot is being run in partnership with two Multi Academy Trusts. It is also being externally evaluated by ImpactEd; the final report will be made available in Autumn 2023 on this website.
We plan to continue this programme in the academic year 2023-24 and beyond. If you’d like to know more, please keep reading.
The Programme
Partnerships
We are hoping to establish partnerships with local authorities and multi-academy trusts (and other middle tier organisations) to bring clusters of schools together.
We maintain ongoing support and collaboration with the Gender Equality Lead (or similar representative) at the LA or MAT. This can be through regular meetings, attendance at Gender Champion workshops, or other instances either party might find useful.
Training
Gender Champions from each school first come together to undertake training over 1.5 days delivered by Lifting Limits. This equips the Gender Champions to roll out the programme in their schools.
The Gender Champions then deliver school-wide training in their schools, providing
- School staff with a foundational understanding of the Lifting Limits programme and how gender stereotyping is linked to a range of adverse outcomes, for individuals and across society
- Schools with strategies to make positive changes within school, in both the short- and longer-term.
- School staff with a foundational understanding of the Lifting Limits programme and how gender stereotyping is linked to a range of adverse outcomes, for individuals and across society
- Schools with strategies to make positive changes within school, in both the short- and longer-term.
Rolling out the programme
Gender Champions start rolling out the programme by conducting an audit of their school, with colleagues’ support. This helps identify key areas for improvement, as well as good practice which could be replicated.
Gender Champions meet termly to talk through the programme’s progress in their schools and any challenges they have faced.
After the first year
At the end of the year, schools have the opportunity to participate in:
- The Schools Network, which allows them to continue implementing the programme in their schools with our support
- The Good Practice Awards, which recognise schools doing outstanding work to challenge gender stereotypes
What Lifting Limits offers schools
- Regular contact with Lifting Limits for ongoing support for Gender Champions and Gender Equality Leads
- Virtual networking with Gender Champion peers
- Gender Audit tool for the school environment
- A variety of resources for use across the school, including:
- Assembly resources to be adapted as necessary and run in-school
- Lesson plans (approximately 80 in total) for each year group for Years 1-6, in each of 12 curriculum subjects
- Resources specifically for EYFS
- Other resources include: Discussion cards, Gender Stereotype Detective activities, working walls resources; language and playground guides for staff; lists of female composers, scientists, inventors and explorers; Role Model poster series; homework tasks
“This training has been superb and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I feel really excited to make a difference and create some exciting learning and life opportunities for the whole school community, Thank you so much for all of your help and support.”
Teacher
How to get involved
We are open to working with clusters of schools from across the country, formed either amongst themselves, or through other organisations, such as Multi Academy Trusts or Local Authorities.
If you are interested in understanding more about this programme, we’d love to hear from you! Get in touch at info@liftinglimits.org.uk.
Our Programmes
For more information on our programmes, please follow the links below: