Schools become better places not just through big initiatives, but through grassroots changes that make students’ everyday experiences more comfortable and positive.
This term, Howell’s is taking an important step by introducing our very first Period Prefects—showing that menstrual health deserves openness, support, and real conversation. As part of our year-long focus on Women’s Health, we’re thrilled to welcome Ffion and Xinrong into this new student leadership role, created to support, uplift, and empower the community they know so well.
In an environment such as ours — where most students already menstruate or soon will, and where every bathroom has a ready supply of period products available— it is easy to imagine that conversations about periods unfold naturally. And in many ways, they do. Howell’s has long been a place shaped by girls’ experiences and voices. Yet, as both prefects note, some students still feel embarrassed or awkward discussing periods. The Period Prefect role was created to replace hesitation with confidence and to ensure that no student feels their body is something to hide.
Why This Role Matters
Although Howell’s already offers menstrual education, products, and pastoral support, we recognised that peer leadership can reach places adults cannot. Students often speak most openly to someone who is living the same school day, experiencing the same timetable, facing the same challenges. As Xinrong explains, “The biggest thing I find is that younger students often just need reassurance that what they’re experiencing is normal. I’d like to run friendly, relaxed sessions tailored to their age group… Sometimes having older students lead these discussions makes them feel much less intimidating.”
The wider national picture makes this work feel even more urgent. Menstrual education in the UK remains inconsistent: only 53% of secondary teachers say it is formally taught in their school, and one in ten girls report receiving no menstrual education at all. Nearly two million girls nationwide have missed school because of their period. These are not abstract numbers — they are reminders that embarrassment, uncertainty and lack of knowledge still carry real consequences. For Howell’s, creating a dedicated, student-led role is both a response and an opportunity: a chance to lead with clarity, dignity and compassion.
Meeting the Prefects
Speaking with Ffion and Xinrong, what stands out most is the sincerity of their motivation. Ffion explains, “I’ve always felt a bit powerless… When I saw the email about this role, I thought: this is it. It’s my chance to finally use my privilege to make a difference.” She has always cared deeply about women’s health — she has volunteered with charities and read widely on the topic — but often felt she wasn’t helping “directly enough.” Being selected made her feel “absolutely ecstatic… I was desperate to be chosen, and when I was, it was my dream come true.”
Her goal is clear: “Ensuring our girls can speak openly about their periods and other ideas regarding their health is extremely important for their development… They need to understand their own bodies and feel they can always have queries or ask for help if they need to.”
For Xinrong, the role appealed because it allowed her to act on something she has long felt strongly about: gender inequality and how it shows up in everyday school life. “I’ve always had very strong opinions, especially when it comes to discussions of misogyny and its presence in our everyday life. I saw this role as the perfect opportunity to translate a topic I am passionate about into a platform where I can bring about change.” When she was appointed, she felt she finally had “the chance and the support from staff and Ffion to raise awareness, destigmatise periods and to improve the day-to-day life for students of Howell’s and beyond.” She hopes the role will help students feel less alone in their experiences: “I’d like to encourage students to ask questions—no matter how small they might seem—and to reassure them that everyone’s experience is valid.”
A Vision for Howell’s
Both girls share a vision of a school where conversations about periods feel no more loaded than conversations about homework. “I think we just need to keep having more and more open discussions. The more we talk, the more others will feel comfortable to talk,” says Ffion.
A significant part of their focus will be on younger year groups. They remember what it felt like to be 10 or 11, full of questions but unsure where to ask them. “The biggest thing I find is that younger students often just need reassurance that what they’re experiencing is normal. I’d like to run friendly, relaxed sessions tailored to their age group… Sometimes having older students lead these discussions makes them feel much less intimidating,” says Xinrong. Ffion adds gently, “I really want to emphasize the normality of periods and talking about periods, and vaginas, and breasts, and whatnot… I also want the younger years to be taught about why their body functions the way it does, which once again reiterates the concept of normalcy.”
Beyond conversation, both prefects are eager to understand how the school’s physical environment supports students. They plan to gather feedback on everything from product availability to the comfort and privacy of bathroom spaces. “Small things make a big difference… I also want to garner feedback from students about how they feel, what support they need and how we can improve our facilities, for example, bathroom facilities and period products,” says Ffion.
Awareness will be another important part of their work. They talk animatedly about assemblies, posters, creative projects, and library displays — not to create noise for the sake of it, but to make menstrual health visible and accessible to everyone. Xinrong says, “I want to make sure every student has easy access to products, information, and support when they need it. I hope to create spaces where conversations about periods are completely normal and free from shame.”
The Difference They Hope to Make
When asked about their broader hopes, Ffion says, “I hope that the work done… will improve knowledge and awareness of women’s health at this school and help girls be more confident… I hope this will help girls embrace themselves fully and openly, in their full biological form, and be unashamed of their bodies and who they are.” Xinrong adds, “I hope this role will make students feel more confident, supported, and understood… If even one student feels less anxious or less alone because of the work we do, that’s already a step in the right direction.”
Looking Ahead
Welcoming our first Period Prefects is a reflection of the kind of community Howell’s is proud to nurture: one in which students speak confidently about their bodies, support one another with generosity, and know that their experiences are valid and worth discussing.
With warmth, humour and determination, Ffion and Xinrong are helping to build a school where menstrual health is approached openly, thoughtfully and without embarrassment. Their leadership marks the beginning of a meaningful cultural shift — subtle, student-led and deeply hopeful — and we cannot wait to see the confidence and conversation that will grow from it.