'Protect our girls' - North Devon students lead major campaign for school self-defence

Students at a Barnstaple school are spearheading a national campaign to bring self-defence into the classroom, winning the backing of their MP and local leaders.

Leading the charge are students from Pilton Community College, who have joined forces with local martial arts experts and political leaders to make personal safety training a mandatory part of school life.

Jemma Fetzer (year 11) and Poppy Hughes (year 7) approached their headteacher, Danny Heaton, with the idea of regular classes at the school after a successful taster session led by martial arts instructor, Francis Blackmore. 

The college is just one of the schools around the UK campaigning for the government to make self-defence an integral part of the PE curriculum.

Mr Heaton said: “The safety and well-being of our students is at the core of everything we strive for at Pilton Community College.”

During a recent visit to the school, Barnstaple MP Ian Roome described his experience of meeting Jemma and Poppy and the pride he felt for Pilton. 

Mr Roome said: “It was fantastic to hear about the self-defence classes at Pilton Community College. Jemma and Poppy deserve huge credit for pushing this forward and have shown real leadership.

“I visited Pilton recently and came away really proud that we have a school like this in North Devon. 

“When the safeguarding minister Jess Phillips visited our area not long ago, she spoke with me about how important it is that women and girls feel safer and more empowered, so it is brilliant to see Pilton School putting that into practice here locally.”

Self-defence instructors focus on situational awareness, and self-defence moves are taught to create a pause and a distraction to help the victim get away. The classes also help boost self-esteem and mental and emotional resilience. 

The school is encouraging girls of all ages to ‘form an alliance of support and friendship.’ 

Pilton School Governor, Holly Francis, said: “If enough pupils, parents, staff, and governors ask for it, I’m hoping that the Department of Education will see how important it is to protect our girls. 

“The goal is for attackers to know that women and girls are being trained in schools all over the UK and to be more wary about attacking them in the first place.”

Ms Francis outlined her plans to take further action and set up classes. 

“My next move is to contact schools to find out how we can lobby the government to make it mandatory,” she said. 

“We may have to start the classes locally from September. I’m hoping to save money by using school premises and I’m helping Francis by creating a poster which we will share with Pilton girls first as numbers will be limited. I think it will be a popular class.”  

Mr Blackmore, a second-degree black belt in judo, also has experience in Aikido, Karate, and Jiu-Jitsu. He will be holding Saturday morning classes for all women and girls in the Barnstaple area. 

According to the National Police Chiefs’ Council, violence against women and girls makes up just under 20 per cent of all recorded crime in England and Wales. 

Ms Francis added: “I have two teenage daughters and myself have been physically and sexually attacked more than once in my life. If anything, attacks are increasing so clearly action needs to be taken.”

Ms Francis described pupils Jemma and Poppy as “brave, strong young women that don’t want to be seen as victims anymore.” 

Jemma said: “It was reassuring to know that I always had the power to defend myself, I just never knew how to use it before.

“Maybe if potential attackers knew girls could defend themselves, they may think twice.”