Headteacher Emma Mills on Smartphones, Dr Charlotte Proudman, A Musical Tribute to George Eliot

Woman's Hour

BBC

Society & Culture, Health & Fitness, Personal Journals

4.2 • 2.9K Ratings

🗓️ 2 May 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Headteachers are gathering today in Harrogate for the annual conference of the National Association of Head Teachers. The negative effects on their students of smartphones and social media access has become a national conversation in recent months, with differing views on who should take the lead in protecting children; the Government, schools, parents, or tech companies. Anita Rani talks to secondary head Emma Mills. Her school, Birchwood High in Warrington, attracted national attention two years ago when teenager Brianna Ghey was murdered. Emma joins Anita to explain why she implemented the ban and what the effects have been so far.

Barrister and campaigner Charlotte Proudman first came to prominence ten years ago when she called out a lawyer on LinkedIn who praised her profile picture. Never afraid to speak her mind, she talks to Anita about her new book ‘He said, She Said: Truth, Trauma and the Struggle for Justice in Family Court’.

Writer George Eliot is brought to life in a new stage setting, accompanied by contemporary music by British female singer songwriters and using mainly her own words to tell her story. Author of seven novels, a poet and translator, George Eliot - real name Mary Ann Evans - was ahead of her time, befriended pioneering feminists and at one point became the second richest woman in England after Queen Victoria. Performers SuRie and Hermione Norris join Anita to discuss their celebration of her extraordinary and ground breaking life.

Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Laura Northedge

Transcript

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0:00.0	Before you listen to this BBC podcast, I'd like to introduce myself.
0:03.7	My name's Stevie Middleton and I'm a BBC Commissioner for a load of sport podcasts.
0:08.4	I'm lucky to do that at the BBC because I get to work with leading journalists, experienced
0:12.2	pundits and the biggest sports stars.
0:14.3	Together we bring you untold stories and fascinating insights straight from the player's mouths.
0:19.1	But the best thing about doing this at the BBC is our unique access to the sporting world.
0:24.6	What that means is that we can bring you podcasts that create a real connection to dedicated sports fans across the UK.
0:30.6	So if you like this podcast, head over to BBC Sounds where you'll find plenty more.
0:35.6	BBC Sounds, music'll find plenty more. BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.
0:41.0	Hello, I'm Anita Rani and welcome to Woman's Hour from BBC Radio 4.
0:45.9	Just to say that for rights reasons, the music in the original radio broadcast has been removed for this podcast.
0:51.9	Good morning and welcome. We have a roll call of very impressive women on the program today who in some way or other have led the way despite what people think of them.
1:03.0	We're going to be discussing Victorian novelist Mary Ann Evans, aka George Elliot.
1:08.0	As a very successful woman, she lived her life just as she wanted,
1:12.5	not caring what was expected of women when it came to marriage and relationships.
1:16.5	She lived with a married man.
1:18.5	Charlotte Proudman, a powerful family law barrister
1:21.5	who's challenged the institution she works within and stood her ground,
1:25.0	has now written a book about her experiences and critiques
1:27.7	the courts when it comes to family law.
1:29.6	It's called, he said, she said.
1:32.1	And when it comes to likability, Charlotte said, and I quote, as young girls and young women
	...

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