Woodside win top title
Woodside Primary came out on top in a national competition aimed at busting gender myths.
The school beat 170 other entries in the Improving Gender Balance Scotland competition, which asked pupils for their thoughts on gender stereotypes.
Woodside were champions in on the Primary 1-3 category with a poster by sisters Rebekah and Melissa Goddard that highlighted the issue of stereotyping called ‘Is this wrong or are we making it wrong?’
And their fellow pupil Macy Murray was given a special mention for her poster ‘Hand prints’.
Rebekah said the win was unexpected, adding: “I was surprised but happy.”
Gillian Reilly, science teacher at Woodside, said: “I saw the competition advertised and it was one that jumped out at me right away because I felt it was something I could really work with the children on, get some good activities, get some good conversations out of them and it seemed to work really well.
“Well done to the girls for doing so well with it, and their parents for allowing them to participate in it.”
Improving Gender Balance Scotland is a partnership between Skills Development Scotland, the Institute of Physics and Education Scotland which challenges ideas that some school subjects are ‘just for girls’ or ‘just for boys’.
The winning schools were presented with their trophies and vouchers for Letterbox Library, which provides books celebrating equality and diversity.
Charlotte Govan, project officer for Improving Gender Balance Scotland helped judge the competition, and she said: “It’s clear from the huge number of entries to the competition we had from schools across Scotland that gender stereotyping is an issue primary school pupils are really aware of and are taking action to tackle.
“All of us judging were impressed by the standard and variety of the entries, and we want to thank all the schools who took time to take part.
“We hope all the schools involved will continue to explore this issue by using Improving Gender Balance Scotland’s online resources to empower the whole school to address issues of stereotyping that can affect young people throughout school and beyond.”
Talat Yaqoob, director of Equate Scotland, was also a judge.
She said: “The entries were massively impressive, from poetry to board games, the imagination and creativity used by these pupils was a pleasure to see and I hope that we can learn from them on how to challenge and end gender stereotyping.”