Roedean School, East Sussex, introduces dedicated classes about menopause. Niamh Green, Head of the independent all-girls day and boarding school, introduced the lessons to ensure girls are aware of the changes they will experience later in life, such as perimenopause.
Roedean also plans to cover more practical topics in lessons, such as investments and pensions.
Roedean School Head Niamh Green Promotes Menopause Education
The UK government added menopause to the relationships, sex, and health education (RSHE) curriculum in 2019. However, Roedean is the first school in the country to announce it’s starting dedicated menopause lessons.
The lessons at Roedean School will explore the mental and physical symptoms of menopause. The classes will also discuss the times in their lives when girls might experience these symptoms and how to alleviate them.
Green became Roedean’s new Head earlier in 2023. Before stepping into the role, she and a friend discussed the limitations of a traditional curriculum. School had prepared them for their A Levels but failed to impart essential “non-curricular” knowledge, such as how to invest wisely or deal with menopausal symptoms.
“While we were well versed in everything from Keats to calculus, our younger selves knew nothing of smart investing and pensions, or what the perimenopause is, or the importance of weight training for better bone density.”
Regular resistance training can contribute to a healthy lifestyle and offers varied mental and physical health benefits. Weightlifting is particularly important for helping perimenopausal and postmenopausal women improve bone mineral density, maintain muscle mass, and boost their metabolism.
Green added that, until recently, menopause has been “absurdly” taboo. She emphasised the importance of educating girls on the subject as menopause will likely impact every student at Roedean School.
Breaking Menopause Taboos: Advocating for Education and Support
There are almost 5.1 million working women aged 45-59 in the UK. Most of these women will experience menopause symptoms at some point. However, many women feel reluctant to disclose menopause-related problems at work.
Diane Danzebrink launched the Make Menopause Matter campaign in 2018 to improve menopause information, education, care, and support. A psychotherapist from Buckinghamshire, Danzebrink struggled with her menopausal symptoms following a hysterectomy she had when she was 45.
Amongst other aims, Make Menopause Matter called for students to learn about menopause alongside subjects like periods and pregnancy. The campaign played a major role in the introduction of menopause to the RSHE curriculum in 2019.
However, menopause education charity Over The Bloody Moon says there has “been little guidance on how to teach [the subject] in positive ways that engage students and encourage them to develop ally-ship and support.”
Over The Bloody Moon provides menopause resources and carries out teacher training on the subject.
Green says she felt “heartened” to read about the charity’s work with male MPs in Parliament. MPs wore vests with heat pads that Over The Bloody Moon developed to mimic hot flushes. Roedean’s Head said the experience gave male MPs “some sense of what many women suffer daily while trying to get on with their lives.”
“It’s time everyone joined in this important conversation so that it’s completely normalised,” she added.
Niamh Green on the Importance of Financial Literacy
Menopause aside, Roedean School will also introduce lessons that cover pensions and investments. The aim is to ensure greater financial literacy amongst students.
Green explained that newly single women can be at risk of becoming financially vulnerable if they don’t know how to invest and save. A YouGov study backs this concern. One in three women say they are financially dependent on their partner.
In England, financial education is part of the national curriculum for secondary schools only. Schools teach financial skills as part of citizenship and maths subjects. Research shows that financial education makes young people more likely to save money, have a bank account, and manage money with confidence.
However, free schools and academies do not have to follow the curriculum, and some choose not to teach financial literacy.
MPs have recently launched an enquiry into the UK’s failures in teaching financial education. Despite the current period of high inflation and financial strains, confidence in basic numeracy amongst young people is low. The enquiry will increase pressure on the government to strengthen financial education in schools.
About Roedean School
Roedean School educates girls aged 11-18 at its scenic clifftop site near Brighton. An Independent Schools of the Year 2023 finalist, Roedean’s holistic education ensures students grow into grounded, confident, capable young women.
Roedean offers a broad curriculum and extensive extra-curricular programme within an inclusive, nurturing community. Dynamic teaching, academic enrichment opportunities, and a vibrant school culture come together to create an exciting, supportive learning environment.
At Roedean, girls rise above societal expectations and set their own goals. With a 45-acre campus, a working farm, and over 100 co-curricular activities to try, girls have the space and opportunities to develop skills, ignite new passions, and let their imaginations run wild.
Many girls are full boarders, though day students also benefit from Roedean’s boarding community and sense of house spirit. Roedean’s strong pastoral care provision ensures each girl receives the support she needs to succeed academically and in other areas of school life.
Learn more about Roedean School on LinkedIn.
