On Wednesday 11 June, Fourth Form pupils from Bedford School and Bedford Girls’ School (BGS) came together for a powerful and inspiring Citizenship morning – an event that is now in its third year.
The idea for this collaborative project was born from a desire among pupils to engage in meaningful conversations about issues that matter to them. This year’s event was no exception. Pupils from both schools met in April to decide on the topics they felt were most relevant to their peers. The result: a dual focus on gender inequality and positive relationships, including the influence of peer pressure.
BGS pupils took the lead on planning the session around gender inequality, while our boys focused on the dynamics of healthy relationships and the impact of peer pressure. Over several weeks, the pupils worked together to plan their sessions, design presentations and rehearse their delivery. The culmination of their efforts was a morning of thoughtful discussion, interactive activities and peer-led learning.
For many pupils, this was a chance to step outside their comfort zones – working with peers from another school, speaking in front of an audience and tackling complex social issues. One of the pupil leaders, Year 9 pupil Kyriq, shared his motivation, “I like to be a part of anything that helps me with my leadership and public speaking skills. Even though people call me an extrovert, I still get stage fright. But I do my best.”
Kyriq also reflected on the evolution of their session topic, which began with a discussion on gender stereotypes and eventually developed into a focus on healthy and unhealthy relationships, peer pressure and being an active bystander. His goal was clear: to communicate that “no matter what, you can always leave a relationship – you just need the right help.”
He added, “It was a great experience working with a wonderful group of girls. I’ve made friends and hope to strengthen those bonds as we grow.”
Year 9 pupil, Ethan, echoed the importance of connection and leadership, “I wanted to connect with the BGS pupils, while also helping teach an important lesson. From my point of view, I felt that we should tackle relationships and peer pressure, because I could see how my peers acted when around the girls’ school. I wanted to help spread how important it was to connect with them in a healthy way.”
Learning from Real-Life Impact
The second half of the morning was led by PC Emily Hurst from Bedfordshire Police’s Education and Diversion team. Her session brought a sobering perspective to the day, focusing on the real-life consequences of crime. She shared the tragic story of Roseann Taylor, who lost her son AJ in a fatal stabbing in Luton in 2018. The session also covered important legal topics such as stop and search and joint enterprise, sparking thoughtful questions from the pupils.
Feedback from staff has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the maturity, creativity and empathy shown by the pupils. The Citizenship morning not only gave them a platform to express their views but also helped them develop essential life skills: communication, teamwork and leadership.
