Parents and staff at Notre Dame School enjoyed a lecture from Dr Abigail Norfleet James as part of her UK tour.

Dr James, who is based in the USA, visited the Cobham school on Thursday, April 24, to speak about the differences in the rates of development and structure between male and female brains.

The message within Dr James’ talk was ultimately that girls and boys are happier, more confident and more successful when educated differently, and that bespoke education is essential for all.

Throughout her talk, Dr James highlighted how test anxiety can undermine the performance of girls during examinations, but the Convent Lane school said it prided itself on ensuring teachers work with students to guide them to academic success.