May’s Jack Petchey award was this week given to a 6th Form student who works tirelessly with students raising awareness and the profile of women in the science subjects.

Aleffa Islam, who’s 17,  joined St Bonaventure’s 6th Form from Brampton Manor Academy in September. She spends much of her free time networking with University science departments trying to organise speakers to come into school and motivate our young female science students.

She is in the process of setting up a women’s group with the focus on women in science. She’s constantly on the lookout for opportunities for scholarships, incentives and opportunities for women to study science at university not only for herself but for other girls in our 6th Form and she passes on what she has found freely. She recently organised a group of girls to visit Queen Mary University for a WISE (Women into Science and Engineering) conference.

Curriculum Leader of Numeracy and Key Stage 5 Maths Co-ordinator,  Miss Murphy nominated Aleffa for the award and commented: “I had a lunchtime launch event where Aleffa supported me in speaking to our female students about the importance of raising the profile of women in science. We discussed how we can play our part in inspiring the next generation and take advantage of some of the positive discrimination that is currently around. Aleffa really is a positive, proactive student who is passionate about what she believes in and genuinely wants to help young women fulfil their dream of a career in science.”

Aleffa wins £250 as part of her award and she is thinking on how best to spend her prize money.