An Oldham school has become the first in the country to be affiliated with a charity that aims to carry on the legacy of the human rights pioneer Mary Wollstonecraft.

Northmoor Academy on Alderson Street hosted the founder of The Wollstonecraft Society, Bee Rowlatt, on September 28, who presented Year 5 students at the school with a certificate confirming the academy’s status as the very first Mary Wollstonecraft school.

Mary Wollstonecraft was an English writer and advocate of educational and social equality for women.

Her books include A Vindication of the Rights of Woman published in 1792, which calls for women and men to be educated equally, is considered a classic of feminism.

Mary died in 1797, 11 days after the birth of her second daughter, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, who became a novelist best known as the author of Frankenstein.

The Wollstonecraft Society aims to bring Mary Wollstonecraft’s legacy of human rights, equality, and justice into young people’s lives.

The Oldham Times: Students during the Mary Wollstonecraft assembly. (Image:Northmoor Academy) Students during the Mary Wollstonecraft assembly. (Image:Northmoor Academy) (Image: Students during the Mary Wollstonecraft assembly. (Image:Northmoor Academy))

Year 5 children from Northmoor Academy produced an assembly celebrating the life and achievements of Mary Wollstonecraft.

During the assembly, the children discussed what types of causes Mary would have supported in modern times and agreed that Greta Thunberg’s campaigning and the Black Lives Matters campaign would have been important to her.

Ms Rowlatt said: "Northmoor Academy's talented students showed an understanding of Mary Wollstonecraft's human rights message by making it their own.

"I was impressed by their interpretation of her work and inspired by their confident delivery.

“This is a powerful reminder that role models really do matter.

"I want to congratulate the children and staff of Northmoor Academy for celebrating the ideas of equality; of achieving against the odds and of human rights for all - these are the ideas that Mary Wollstonecraft also stood for."

Antony Hughes, chief executive of The Harmony Trust, which runs the school, added: “It has been uplifting to see a new generation of children being inspired by Mary’s historic influence on equality and fairness.

"Our children and our trust can relate to her story and achievements, and we are so proud of our pupils and the learning they showed in this project.”

You can see the full assembly on Northmoor Academy’s website.