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Westminster City School was delighted to welcome back former Sixth Form student Mae on Thursday 27 November, as she launched ‘Beyond the Cycle’ with our Year 12 and 13 female students. Mae is in the final stages of her Geography degree at LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science) and is leading important work, informed by her own experiences, to support young girls living with menstrual health conditions.

Commenting on what this launch means to her personally, Mae said:

“What an exciting morning, we’ve officially launched ‘Beyond the Cycle’ in our first partner school, Westminster City School! From having to constantly leave school because of severe menstrual health conditions, to being able to start ‘Beyond the Cycle’ and help young girls stay in education means the world. It was amazing to be back at my Sixth Form talking to so many fantastic young women who are ready to make a change. No girl should feel unheard or uncomfortable in her school, and we hope we can help them fulfil their full potential.”

How ‘Beyond the Cycle’ Began

The charity was founded in April of this year after the realisation that many young girls are still struggling without the right support. Mae shared that her own menstrual health issues had been extremely challenging, to the point that she had to leave school early in Year 13 while studying at Westminster City School’s Sixth Form, and that the difficulties continued during university. She explained:

“I decided to build the support system I wished had existed during my school years. I realised that whilst there are organisations doing brilliant work in menstrual health education, there was a critical gap in the daily support that girls need within schools.

“The statistics made it even more urgent because 1 in 10 girls have endometriosis, up to 15% have PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome), and the average diagnosis delay is 7–9 years. During those years, countless girls are missing crucial educational opportunities and suffering in silence.”

The Mission of 'Beyond the Cycle'

‘Beyond the Cycle’ aims to ensure that menstrual health challenges do not pause girls’ potential. Its core aims are to:

• Create safe, supportive spaces in schools for managing symptoms
• Provide emergency supplies such as period products, heat pads and spare items
• Establish peer networks to connect girls with similar experiences
• Help girls navigate healthcare conversations and advocate for themselves

Mae hopes that by improving day-to-day school experiences, more young people with menstrual conditions will be able to succeed academically and personally.

Why Westminster City School?

“Choosing Westminster City School as the first pilot school was an easy decision for me because during my Sixth Form journey here, these were some of my most challenging years with menstrual health problems. The school provided understanding and support during such a difficult period.

“The school is all about advocating for its students, and when I first came up with the idea, I emailed the Headteacher, Mr Broughton. The school has since been one of my biggest supporters. The Sixth Form environment is ideal for demonstrating how proper menstrual health support can help students maintain focus during crucial academic years.”

Launching the programme at Westminster City School gives Mae the opportunity to implement the initiative in a familiar setting, gather feedback, and refine the model before expanding to other schools.

How You Can Support 'Beyond the Cycle'

• Spread the word and connect the charity with others who could benefit
• Know a school that might be interested? Put them in touch with the ‘Beyond the Cycle’ team
• Share the initiative with parents, teachers and those passionate about student wellbeing
• Reach out if you are a student needing support or a parent with insights to share
• Follow and support the organisation as it grows

Instagram: @beyondthecycle.uk
Email: beyondthecycle.uk@gmail.com
Linktree: linktr.ee/beyondthecycleuk

We are proud of Mae’s leadership, compassion and determination to improve support for young female students across the country, and privileged that Westminster City School is the starting point for such important work.