MEET Rebecca Leek. She is an inspirational, dynamic leader who leads three schools across Essex alongside three female headteachers.

As part of International Women’s Day, which is tomorrow, Rebecca wants to stress the importance of strong female role models in society.

Rebecca is chief executive of SEAMAT, an trust which looks after North Crescent Primary School in Wickford, and both Rayleigh Primary School and Wyburns Primary School in Rayleigh.

With International Women’s Day taking place tomorrow, Rebecca told the Echo how crucial it was to show students the value of having women in leadership roles.

In addition, Rebecca applauded her headteachers Sharon Walker, Lynne Kapovic and Kath Sansom were leaders at the top of education.

She said: “Education, and primary education in particular, is quite female-dominated. However the percentages change rapidly as you move into leadership.

“There are an awful number of primary schools in this country that have only one man on the staff and that’s the head. What message is this then giving to the children?

“So I am very proud and privileged to be working with three fantastic headteachers who are women - and our chair of trustees is a woman too.”

Rebecca, who has three children, worked as both a primary and secondary school teacher before taking up her current role.

She is also a farmer, running an organic fruit, flowers and vegetable business called Peach And Pippin in Manningtree.

She also runs a business called Really Eco Baby with her husband, which she founded whilst on maternity leave and sells fair trade environmentally-friendly children’s items which range from books to clothes to toys.

But she said that her achievements have been possible thanks to the strong female role models she has had throughout her own life.

She said: “I am the daughter of two doctors, and it was pretty remarkable in the 1960s for a girl to train to be a doctor, then have four children, and then still go back to work and build up a career again.

“I know how much it was a battle for my mum, and I had a role model there from the beginning.

“I can’t speak for everyone, but for me it is a miracle that women get to the top with everything they have thrown at them along the way, often quite subtly, because many of us have had to fight to get where we are today.

“It is important we show these young girls, and be strong, independent role models for the future generation.”

And Rebecca highlighted the importance of breaking biases for both boys and girls.

She said: “Every human is valuable and can be capable in different ways.

“Young girls should always listen really carefully to the message they are being given and think about their own decisions and choices.

“They should be able to ask these questions to themselves: ‘Why are you watching the boys play the football and not joining in? Why do you wear a skirt to school if you don’t want too?’

“These things may seem minor, but it is important to raise to young girls who know they can do anything, and there is no better time to do that, than on International Women’s Day.”