The Duchess of Sussex celebrates International Women’s Day at Robert Clack School!
“Oh my god, that’s Meghan! I’m actually going to meet Meghan!” This was one student’s reaction as the Duchess of Sussex surprised students at Robert Clack’s upper site on Friday 6th March ahead of International Women’s Day.
Excitement filled the air as Meghan got out of her car and was greeted by Ian Pittaway - Deputy Lieutenant for Barking and Dagenham and Co-chair of the Robert Clack Alumni Association. Many of the children were speechless, while others gasped as they set eyes on the Duchess who was stood before them. A few weeks earlier Ian had received an email asking if any local schools would like a visit from the Duchess. The theme of the event was International Women’s Day and, with Dagenham holding such an important place in the history of women’s rights following the Ford sewing machinists strike which was instrumental in passing the 1970 Equal Pay Act, Robert Clack were particularly keen to welcome such a special guest.
We were honoured to be selected and set about making plans for the day with the Duchess’s staff and security services. After being introduced to Head Teacher Russell Taylor and Senior Deputy Head Teacher Steve O’Brien, Meghan smiled broadly as she was presented with a bouquet of flowers by Year 7 students, Fiona A and Harvi S.
Meghan was then invited to the Information Centre where she was welcomed by Assistant Head Izzy Eames and her Year 9 students who were working on a project about female poets. The students had researched a variety of female poets, studied an unseen poem, and were busy creating their own poems using their research as inspiration. The Duchess was very interested in their work and offered encouraging words when students shared their poems with her and the group.
Meghan then met Assistant Head Emily Valentine and the Year 12 Debating Society. Robert Clack Debaters have rubbed shoulders with stars and politicians over the years - but never royalty! Miss Valentine shared her experiences of the day. She praised them for how articulate they were and that it was clear that the moral compasses they hold will enable them to become world leaders when they complete their education. A particular highlight of our time with the Duchess was when she was made an honourary member of the Debate Society and students Lily and Yesha presented her with her own debate jacket, she said that 'her husband would be very jealous'. It was an absolute honour for some of our Debate Society to meet such a warm, modern and personable member of the Royal Family. It was a day that we will never forget!”
“When Mr Taylor told me about the Royal Visit from the Duchess of Sussex there was no question about ensuring that our wonderful debaters got an opportunity to show off their skills, especially as the issues that the Duchess holds close to her heart are the same as those involved in the Debate Society. What struck me about the Duchess was that she was incredibly down to earth and keen to hear the views and aspirations of those taking part in the session. She remarked on the fact that they were able to discuss their future careers. One example was embarking on work in Gynaecology in the developing world, and how student Aeesha was able link science and debate effortlessly.
She recognised that our students have the ability to change the world using their voices and encouraged them to continue to have their voices heard. Debater, Aeesah A added, “The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is an inspirational person not just to young people from ethnic minorities and females, but to the general population. I believe she has this influence because she has already accomplished so many great achievements in her life whilst overcoming many difficulties thrown her way. To have her join our Debate Society has made all of us more proud of being part of the Robert Clack Debate Society. Meeting the Duchess of Sussex has given me personally more confidence and assurance that my ability to speak out can make positive changes and help improve the lives of people for the better. Her joining of our Debate Society has helped solidify the fact that young people can make a change in the world that we live in and that the steps that we are taking to do this are being noticed by many people from all around the world.”
The Duchess made her final stop of the visit at the assembly hall where she was keen to take part in the Year 11 assembly which was themed around International Women’s Day. She was introduced to former student Miss Hasika Bhudia, teacher of mathematics and Head of Year 11, along with another honoured guest - former student Geraldine Dear, a retired Ford Machinist, who took part in the Equal Pay Strike. Students Rhyanna W and Renee P-D kick started the assembly by speaking eloquently about the global impact the female Dagenham Ford workers made on women’s rights. The first strike in 1968 was a trigger in passing the Equal Pay Act 1970. Geraldine was one of the ’13 rebels’ who took part in a further strike in 1984, in protest against the system that graded women as unskilled workers. Geraldine and her machinist colleagues went on strike for six weeks before Ford eventually agreed to their terms and they returned to work on an equal footing to the male skilled workers.
Year 13 student Olivia C then made a heartfelt speech about her own experiences as a woman and reflected on where she thought life would take her. Olivia said, “This visit is certainly one I will remember, as the crucial celebration of women and female empowerment was recognised by a leading female figure in public British consciousness. As I am from a borough with issues surrounding gender equality and the empowerment of young people, I think that Meghan Markle recognising our area and our school as an important centre of change for gender in our society and the role and status of women is incredibly powerful.”
The ‘Citizen of The Week’ award was then presented to student Charlotte Fleisher by Meghan. A very excited Charlotte said, “It was amazing to see Meghan in school. I couldn’t believe it when she congratulated me for receiving my award and shook my hand. This memory will stay with me forever!” The Duchess then addressed the assembly, urging the boys in particular, to value and appreciate the women in their lives whilst setting an example to other men who may not see things in the same way. “You have mothers, sisters, girlfriends, and friends in your lives. Protect them, make sure they are feeling valued and safe. Let’s just rally together to make sure International Women’s Day is something that is not just for one day but frankly feels like every day of the year.”
She then went ‘off the cuff’ and asked for a male volunteer from the audience.Aker O was the lucky student to be chosen! Aker approached the stage to rapturous applause and cheers from his peers and, shaking Meghan’s hand, he said the words, “She really is beautiful innit!” which has become his tag line and gone viral on social media! Aker received a big hug from the giggling Duchess who was clearly amused by his reaction before speaking with confidence about his views on women’s rights. A very proud Miss Bhudia said “All in all, the speeches from our pupils filled us with nothing but pride on this special day. The voice from today’s women of Dagenham was held strong and we have every faith in them to keep the fight for equality alive through the generations to come. Well done to everyone who was involved and I am sure this will be a day nobody will forget!"
This was certainly a day that will be etched in the minds of all staff and students at Robert Clack for many years to come. The atmosphere around the school was electric. Here are a few quotes from some of the students: “I never expected to have such an honour of meeting a royal, but there I was at Robert Clack School meeting one of the most special and important people today” Fabio Petraru “We were all waiting at our tables and then we saw Meghan Markle through a window the teachers forgot to cover! I was honestly so excited because I was getting this once in a lifetime opportunity” Ula Lapinskaite “It was amazing. We were all screaming and crying in excitement. Seeing Meghan Markle inspired me to try harder and be the best me I can be” Popina Brennan
Head Teacher Russell Taylor reflected on the day saying, “The visit of The Duchess of Sussex was a truly great moment in the history of Robert Clack School. As I listened to the wonderful speeches given by Renee, Rhyanna, and Olivia during the assembly, I found myself feeling overcome with emotion. All I could think was: this is what Robert Clack School is about. This visit wasn’t about one individual; it was about us, all of us, working together as one for the benefit of all. I’m sure you have seen the media coverage of Meghan’s visit and I’m sure, like me, you cannot fail to have noticed the look of shock, exuberance, and unadulterated joy on our pupils’ faces. Meghan told our pupils - girls and boys - that they matter, that they have a voice and that they should use it. What a powerful message!
And the response on social media has been nothing short of extraordinary, with so many people from all over the world commenting on our “amazing” pupils. I feel exceptionally proud and privileged to be a part of our community; I hope they all do too.”
A huge thank you to everyone involved in the visit, especially our staff and wonderful students. Special mentions to our VIPs, Ian Pittaway, Geraldine Dear, the Mayor of Barking and Dagenham, Peter Chand and his wife Ginger, Chief Executive of LBBD, Chris Naylor, and Leader of the Council, Darren Rodwell. It was certainly a memorable day for us all!
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What we have been learning This term children have really enjoyed their ‘Winter News’ Topic. We started the topic by carefully looking at seasonal changes by going on a winter walk in nature. We then learnt all about animals and insects that hibernate over winter and how seasonal changes can affect some plants and trees over time. Children absolutely loved the owl visit that occurred earlier this term, and it inspired them to think about how wild animals survive the winter months. In Art, children had tremendous fun mixing various primary colours to make a secondary colour. In our learning wonders, children explored the story of Diwali. In RE children have been learning the story of Christmas and worked really hard to learn all the Christmas songs for our concert. A most enjoyable visit to our local church consolidated their learning about the story of Christmas. Christmas is also the time to celebrate and have fun and we all certainly enjoyed wearing our fun Christmas jumpers for lunch! Upcoming Learning Next half term we will be reading a range of traditional and alternative fairy tales to develop our imagination and writing skills. In Maths, we will be focusing on addition and subtraction skills as well as learning our number bonds to 20. In Science, we will be exploring the topic of ‘materials’ and in History we will be learning all about the worlds greatest inventors and how their inventions have shaped and impacted the modern world.
Former Student Inspires Year 12 with Insight into Management Consultancy
One of our Year 11 students, Titas, recently expressed a keen interest in Aeronautical Engineering, and we were delighted to arrange a Microsoft Teams call with former pupil Kingsley, who is currently studying the subject at Loughborough University. During the conversation, they discussed industry opportunities and explored the best ways to build a strong portfolio that could give aspiring engineers a real advantage when applying for future courses or apprenticeships. Kingsley was incredibly impressed by the Titas’s initiative, commenting that “it’s amazing and rare for a Year 11 student to go above and beyond like this.” We are proud to support such enthusiasm and ambition, and we look forward to seeing where this inspiration will take Titas next!
Children in Need On Friday 14th November, we celebrated Children in Need at Robert Clack by dressing up in yellow, spots, or pyjamas. The canteen staff helped make the day extra special by preparing a themed menu. The Pudsey Smartie Spots Cake was a particular favourite among the children! Throughout the day, pupils had fun learning about the importance of working together and making a difference. Despite the challenges facing the world and our community at this time, we are delighted to announce that we raised an incredible £182.58 for the charity. We are truly thankful to all our families for their generosity and contributions. We are already looking forward to taking part in Children in Need again next November! Bookfair Success A huge thank you to everyone who attended the book fair. It was wonderful to see how excited the children were to visit—both during their class slot and after school. It is a real testament to our families that the children have developed such a strong love of reading. Thanks to the sales made at the book fair, the school has earned £750 in rewards to spend on the Scholastic website. Your generosity means we can refresh our school library with brand-new books for the children to enjoy. The book fair will return during the final summer half term and will be back again in November 2026 . We look forward to earning even more rewards to spend on books for our pupils.
Back in October, we celebrated Black History Month. During our assemblies, we learnt about many inspirational Black pioneers for social justice, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Each year, Iroko, a traditional African theatre company, visits our school to perform a story for all the children. Afterwards, every class has the opportunity to take part in two exciting workshops. This year, the children enjoyed both drumming and dance sessions. It is one of the most anticipated days of the school year. As Iroko were setting up during breakfast club, one of our Year 4 pupils exclaimed, “Yes, it’s Iroko Day!” During the assembly, the company told the story of Anansi the Spider, a character from Akan folklore in West Africa. The children were a fantastic audience—showing respect by listening attentively, while also joining in with dancing, singing, and chanting. Our visitors shared that they always love coming here because the children are enthusiastic, hardworking, and extremely well behaved. We are already looking forward to welcoming them back next year!
On Friday 24th October, a group of our Year 7 pupils took part in a Talk About Transition workshop delivered by the Jack Petchey Foundation. Throughout the day, pupils engaged in a range of interactive, oracy-based activities designed to strengthen their confidence, resilience, and communication skills as they continue their transition from primary to secondary school. These sessions also provided valuable opportunities for pupils to build new friendships and share their experiences of settling into life at Robert Clack School. One pupil reflected, “I thought I was the only one feeling worried about making new friends, but after the workshop I have made some new friends.” We are incredibly proud of the pupils who attended. Their behaviour, enthusiasm, and maturity were exemplary. Mr. Nankivell (Head of Year 7 - Gosfield Road)
This term, Year 3 and 4 had the great opportunity of attending the Royal Opera House in London to watch the ballet performance: ‘La Fille mal gardée’. Due to a last-minute train cancellation, the children rode on both the bus to Dagenham Heathway station and then on the District Line into central London. After eating their packed lunch at the venue, the children went into the huge auditorium for the first act, followed by a refreshing ice cream during the interval. The children enjoyed the performance, with some children expressing how they enjoyed seeing the professionals do the things they do in their after-school dancing clubs. It was then back to the Elizabeth line for the journey home. Fun was had by all who attended this truly enriching experience.
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Students from the Debate Club across the three sites enjoyed an inspiring trip to the UK Parliament this week as part of UK Parliament Week 2025. Their visit took them through historic areas, including guided tours of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, where they gained a close-up look at how national decisions are made. The group also had the opportunity to sit in on live debates, giving them a real sense of the energy and importance of parliamentary discussion. A highlight of the day was a hands-on petition workshop, where students learned how public voices can influence government action. The visit ended on a fun note with a stop at the Parliament gift shop, where students picked up keepsakes to remember their day at the heart of British democracy. The trip left many students feeling inspired — and perhaps even considering futures in politics, public service, or advocacy.