St Swithun’s School, Winchester was delighted to welcome 220 year 10 girls from 16 girls’ schools in the South East to a Girls’ School Association leadership conference on 30 September.
The girls were welcomed by headmistress Jane Gandee before a talk by international executive coach Joanna Kane, co-author of ‘The Suited Hippy And The Stress Junkie’.
The aim of the day was to introduce the girls to a variety of different aspects of leadership, not just the prevalent ‘hero’ model. Groups comprising of girls from each school attended sessions led by 12 female leaders from a variety of careers including the NHS, human resources and law.
St Swithun’s pupils take part in a drum workshop
The groups also tackled leadership challenges – for example the girls were asked, using only newspaper and drinking straws, to prevent eggs from breaking when dropped from a height in a frantic 12-minute team challenge. They also enjoyed participation in a drumming workshop led by Creative Team Events.
Headmistress Jane Gandee said: “It is important for young women to understand that leadership isn’t about being a perfect person or a chief executive, but about making a difference, and that can be achieved at any age whatever your status or stage of life.”
