A SCHOOL in York celebrated International Women’s Day with a special online event, in conversation with the first five girls to be educated there.

The event, organised by St Peter's School, was broadcast live on Zoom on Monday (March 8) and was hosted by head master Jeremy Walker and Victoria Inness, who left the school in 1990 and was the first female head of school.

Jeremy and Victoria were joined virtually by Sue Miller (née Elston), Louise Denison (née Stansfield), Louise Morales (née Adams), Nicky Goodwin (née Jesper) and Zoe Jones (née Jackson), the first five girls who joined St Peter’s for the sixth form in 1976 when they were 17.

They spoke about their first day at St Peter’s, the "warm welcome," they received from other pupils, society’s changing expectations, their subsequent careers, and their happy memories.

Louise Morales, who did a sketch to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the girls joining the school, said: "It was a great opportunity, and it’s only now that we realise how lucky we were to be able to do it.

"St Peter’s has a sense of history that is so wonderful and we were so privileged to be able to study there, St Peter’s gives you the foundation for a fulfilling life."

Speaking of their first day at school, Zoe Jones said "We all remember singing the first hymn, because our voices were so much higher than everyone else’s." While Sue Miller remembered that "it was very daunting, walking into a school of boys."

The women answered questions including why they wanted to come to the school, what surprised them the most, what advice they would give their 17-year-old selves, and what message would they give pupils.

Louise Denison said: "Enjoy school, seize every opportunity, and if it takes you outside of your comfort zone just go for it."

"It can’t have been easy, but it is astonishing to look back and consider that they were the ones who opened the doors for all those generations of girls and women who followed them," Jeremy Walker said.

"The girls were the pioneers but now there is a great sense of legacy and history of girls being at the school," he added.

The event was recorded and is now available on the St Peter’s School YouTube channel.