Dear all, It is just over one week since I launched my petition and the response has been, thanks to all of you, incredible! Here are the key updates to note from the last week: 1) In addition to the petition being included in a number of music magazines, it has been featured in two national newspapers: The Guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/aug/18/female-composers-a-level-music-syllabus-petition) and The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/jessy-mccabe-teenage-girl-launches-petition-calling-for-more-women-to-be-represented-in-alevel-music-exams-10462293.html). 2) The Incorporated Society of Musicians has issued a statement in support of the campaign: ‘We completely agree with Jessy McCabe. Female composers are invisible in Edexcel’s A-level music syllabus. There is no way that an art form can be utterly devoid of female artists; it is just not possible. It is as if Hildegard Von Bingen, Clara Schuman, Roxanna Panufnik and even the new Master of the Queen’s Music, Judith Weir and countless more female composers had never existed. We urge Pearson to take a leaf out of their A-level English Literature syllabus and make sure that their music syllabus is properly representative.’ 3) Other supporting organisations include Sound and Music and Fearless Futures. Fearless Futures' leadership and gender equality programme inspired me to start this petition. They are a fantastic organisation who ensure girls and young women know their rights, have the tools to understand and challenge systems (like in our education content!) and inspire them to fulfil their potential and lead. Here is a link to their website which is well worth a visit http://www.fearlessfutures.org/. For any further questions/information, please contact Hanna McCloskey on hanna@fearlessfuture.org. 4) Here is Edexcel's statement in response to the petition: "We do think it's right to encourage study of the broadest range of composers and performers, whether male or female. We are going to consider how we can best showcase great male and female musicians through our revised A-level which will begin to be taught in Autumn 2016. "Jessy McCabe is right to raise this issue and we will be writing to her with more detail as we develop the support materials for our new A level syllabus in more detail." 5) I have also received a personal email from Mark Anderson, stating they will be in contact with me as they develop the support materials for the 2016 A-Level Music syllabus. However, this does not indicate, to me, that Edexcel will change the compulsory set works in the syllabus to ensure that women are adequately represented. I have replied to Mark Anderson querying this and will update you once he replies. The petition has been signed by many different people, from composers and musicians to teachers and parents, both here in the UK and across the world. It is thanks to the support of each and everyone of you that this issue has reached public and media attention. Please continue to keep sharing and encouraging others to sign the petition to ensure Edexcel has no option but to rightfully represent women and value their works, inspire more girls to succeed in the music world and create a more stimulating, diverse syllabus. It would also be fantastic for you to be involved by sharing any suggestions of female composers that you believe should have a place on the syllabus on social media, using #just1woman. Thank you once again for all your support. Please feel free to contact me or Hanna McCloskey at any point. All the best, Jessy McCabe