The GDST undertook the survey during the Inspiring Females Summit 2019, which took place on 21 June at Chelsea Football Club. It was the biggest event in its four years of running, with more attendees and a larger, more accessible location.

A first-time session called ‘Inspiring Dads and Daughters’ featured a panel exploring the role that dads play in inspiring their daughters. The survey carried out at the event revealed that fathers come third on the ‘go to’ advice list for young girls, behind mothers and friends.

Kirsty von Malaise, founder of Inspiring Females and headmistress of Norwich High School for Girls, told Independent Education Today: “What really struck everyone who was there was this great sense of warmth and support, which we hadn’t necessarily expected.

What really struck everyone who was there was this great sense of warmth and support, which we hadn’t necessarily expected

“We knew that we’d asked some amazing dads to be part of our panel and we knew that if they wanted to come, then they must be supportive. However, we weren’t expecting the level of warmth.

“It was very palpable in the room and some moving things were said. I’ve spoken to several girls from my school who were at the event and they’ve said it’s opened up a lot of conversations with their dads.”

One theme that emerged was that girls wanted to have more control over their finances in the future and not leave tasks like sorting out the mortgage to men. Malaise said the dads “took that on board” with many promising to “share their knowledge with their daughters”.

The event, which Malaise said was free of charge to “as many as we could make it free for”, was attended by both state and independent school pupils.

She said: “It’s always been crucial at every summit to invite partner schools. The girls in our independent schools are perhaps slightly more used to be brushing shoulders with amazing speakers, for state schools perhaps this happens less often so it’s all the more important that they’re with us.

“We’ve seen first-hand how it can be transformative; the girls themselves use words like ‘life changing’.”

Inspiring Females was created in 2016 by the girls and staff at Norwich High School for Girls, and Malaise explained why her students are passionate about it: “The girls here are extraordinary in the way they will absolutely grab opportunities and make the most of them.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the girls working on this year’s summit also had a team in the Young Enterprise National Competition finals, which hasn’t happened at this school before. They push themselves out of their comfort zones.

“The summit gives them opportunities to be high-profile, chair panels, talk to strangers and network.”

She concludes: “I think the event was a huge success. It was full of inspiration and I know people have gone back into their schools and continued the conversations.”

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Men who assault women are allowed to lead countries and potentially enter the senate. As we’ve done time and time again, we will rise up and fight them by showing that our empathy and power can topple the leaders of today, who more often than not seem to have no interest at all in people’s rights.

It starts in school. It starts with how we teach our children to view and treat themselves and others, and it should start early on in a child’s education.

At every stage and age pupils should be encouraged to speak up and voice their opinions in a constructive and well-meaning way. Conversely the young are exposed to vitriolic and cowardly comments via online forums where commentators can hide behind the anonymity of a virtual profile. Never has it been more important, and especially for young women, to feel comfortable in standing up for what they believe and to feel confident to make the same or better progress than their male counterparts. Schools play their part in developing self-esteem and providing opportunity for young people to feel challenged in a supportive and encouraging environment.

At Portsmouth High Prep School, part of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), school councillors and form captains are elected from Year 1 where they assist teachers and take on duties for the class. As they get older they have more involvement in decision-making and when they leave in Year 6 they are empowered to take on roles of responsibility at the Senior School.

These leadership experiences, which develop their skills, allow the girls to have the opportunity to make things happen. Leadership instils confidence and helps children solve problems creatively, work in a team and work collaboratively with others.

Roles of responsibility vary; the Prep School Head Girl chairs the school council whilst music prefects organise and lead their own teatime concerts. Sports prefects lead playground games, and organise and help with clubs for younger girls.

House captains take the lead in running the house charity events that occur each year and help select and lead teams in house events. Plus, an eco-council meets regularly and takes the lead in sustainability. This year they have already met the local MP to discuss issues related to sustainability in the city.

In the Senior School, students’ leadership responsibilities continue with positions such as form captains, house captains, prefects, sports team captains and a Head Girl team. Furthermore, it isn’t all about leadership – it is also about collaboration and becoming a good team player. 

As we’ve done time and time again, we will rise up and fight them by showing that our empathy and power can topple the leaders of today

You’re hired!

Year 11 take part in an Apprentice-style day where they are asked to develop a product in teams. Last year it was a fruit juice and this year a perfume. The students learn how to divide responsibility and project manage what can become a fraught situation. Other year groups, for example Year 8, enjoy an engineering day where they build a toy model car to race. The atmosphere of friendly competition is palpable. Our Year 9 become cyber ambassadors helping those younger and older than themselves navigate the choppy waters of the digital world. There are some key components to encouraging participation in all these events and the expectation is that there is always a mutual respect for everyone taking part. It is possible to be competitive and still behave in a manner that does not leave anyone feeling inferior.

This year Mrs Lucinda Webb, Director of Communications at Portsmouth High School, accompanied our Head Girl team to the GDST Young Leaders Conference. She commented that it dispelled all myths ever written that girls take the back seat in decision-making. The 120 or so sixth-formers displayed every leadership characteristic in their two-day conference from delegation and empowerment to creativity and innovation.

Watching this group of girls was like watching an ant colony displaying the very best of behaviours; cooperating with each other and dividing tasks to create the most compelling pitches to support the specific needs of four real charities. The girls were motivated, meticulous and showed a deep commitment and drive for what they needed to produce by the end of day two. This was a real-life scenario and, if anyone was in any doubt, the charities were present throughout the process and judged the final presentation. There was no hiding; the girls had to work together and work together they did. Not having met before the first day they showed all the compelling features of GDST girls by being confident, courageous, composed and committed.

It is important that young people start to master skills that will carry them forward not only in higher education but in the workplace too. Young women need to have the resilience and skills to be the next generation of leaders and thrive and benefit from a more gender-inclusive environment.

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Alongside the traditional sports on offer, what new sports have been introduced?

At Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) schools, we are committed to offering a diverse range of sports as possible. In recent years we have added a whole range of sports in our schools– including cricket, football, tag rugby, dance, yoga, pilates, Zumba and boxing; in addition, of course, to the well-loved, more ‘traditional sports’ such as netball, hockey and rounders.

What prompted their introduction?

We believe there is a sport for everyone. Diversifying the curriculum, especially as students get older, means that we do not lose the interest of girls who have not found an affinity with ‘traditional’ sports. The positive benefits of sport and exercise are well known – supporting mental wellbeing, as a great way to have fun and make friends, and of course keeping physically fit. We hope they will all find something they love and will enjoy for life.

What other forms has this diversity taken?

At GDST, we’re committed to extending our widening sports offerings to the local community. All schools have initiatives that enable other students from local schools to take part. Shrewsbury High, for example, have provided annual tournaments in football, netball, cross country, orienteering, cricket and rounders for local primary schools for the last 6 years,  working in collaboration with Shrewsbury Primary Schools Sports Partnership.

What have these alternative sports added to the student experience?

Diversification has made sport more accessible to a greater number of girls. Sport is important for helping to foster key life skills such as leadership, collaboration and teamwork. We have seen the students grow in confidence and enthusiasm, all of which feeds into their success and energy in other areas of their school experience. Learning to win and lose gracefully, be committed to a team, to be disciplined and focussed; these are all essential skills that support academic success and a healthy balanced approach to life’s challenges.

Female sport has been far more in the news recently, has this had any effect on the perception of sport among girls at school-level?

We are so pleased to see women’s sport is finally coming into the spotlight nationally. In school, girls are inspired by these elite athletes reaching the top of their game and this breeds confidence as they realise there are so many opportunities available to them – on and off the pitch.

What has the uptake of these sports been like?

Uptake has been extremely encouraging. Most heartening has been a reversal of the trend for girls to give up on sport around GCSEs. In my own school, Blackheath High, there is a really vibrant Sixth Form sports programme that sees girls rowing at the Royal Albert Docks every week, for example.

 Does any distinct policy underpin this reversal?

Well, our whole approach to school life is to encourage girls to take risks and “have a go” –  it’s no different for sport. We want to help them find their passion and a sport they enjoy. I can’t pretend they all love every sport put in front of them, but they certainly seem to enjoy having a go! 

What challenges have you faced introducing these new sports. It can’t all have been an easy ride?

Of course whenever you introduce a new sport, you need teachers with the right training and expertise. We are fortunate at GDST to be able to share expertise. We have expert teachers who lead training and share best practice across all the schools.

We’ve also set-up initiatives with outside experts. Our ‘Cricket Hubs’ launched this year across the country. We’re working with ex-England players, like Lydia Greenaway, to provide coaching to staff and girls. Not only is this a great way to help upskill staff across our skills, the coaches provide inspirational role models to girls. There is nothing like “seeing is believing” when it comes to thinking about what you can achieve in your chosen sport.

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The changes to the grading in some GCSE subjects this year to a numerical system were navigated very successfully. In fact, more of our Year 11 girls gained top grades this year than last. However, the switch from modular to linear exams at A-level has undoubtedly had an impact. Studying a course over two years without intervening external assessment points demands a more joined-up approach to both teaching and learning.

I like to see this discarding of AS levels as a ‘liberation’ of Year 12, freeing the girls and their teachers from constant testing, to focus on deep teaching and learning. This will give them a chance to enjoy learning over a longer period of time, a chance to explore, reflect and make links. As an independent school we do have the luxury of more of an influence over our sixth form, being able to offer greater personalisation and flexibility beyond the exam specifications.

 Education is not just about academic progress, however, but also about taking opportunities. This year I had the huge privilege of travelling to New York with two of our Year 13 girls who had been handpicked to represent the National Council of Young Women Great Britain at the United Nations as part of the Commission on the Status of Women, CSW61.

 A significant highlight has been the strengthening of our home/school partnership and one of the great successes of the year has been the introduction of our parental seminars on ‘Raising Girls in the Twenty-First Century’. These have been very well attended as we tackle, together, the issues that face girls and young women in the world at school and beyond. Our parents are so supportive of everything we do and really go the extra mile, recently having raised money through fundraising events to buy and build a pizza oven in our fantastic outdoor learning area.

Julie Keller

 Our continuing commitment to the arts has had a huge boost with the opening of our £9m performing arts centre, ‘the space’. Likewise, we are delighted to share this space as part of our commitment to supporting the local community, and to see lots of bookings already filling up the calendar.

 I have to sign off with a four-legged highlight – the addition of Saffy the miniature Labradoodle to the school family this year has brought a lot of joy and a huge boost to the wellbeing of girls and staff alike. The benefits of dogs in schools are well documented, and we have recently begun to take part in the GDST Positive School’s programme, an initiative to support wellbeing across the whole-school community, further strengthening the work we do in recognising the need for resilient mental health.

 With the curriculum changes at all key stages now in full flow, I look forward to 2018 and focusing on being even more innovative with our teaching in this modern, forward-thinking and dynamic school. 

For further information visit nottinghamgirlshigh.gdst.net  

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GDST has worked with the Positive Schools Programme in nine of their schools in the past academic year, with Putney High School one of the first schools to adopt the programme. 

“At Putney High School we are always open to new ideas,” explained Headmistress Suzie Longstaff, “so, for me, this approach is another key opportunity to actively build positive habits of mind and be at the forefront of positive wellbeing. We want to build resilience and positivity long before any problems settle in.” 

 “What impresses me the most about the programme is that it is underpinned by scientific research.”

The programme involves a digital toolkit which helps teachers to understand and communicate their feelings, so that they can build a stronger emotional literacy. Teachers are then encouraged to teach these tools to their students so they too can benefit from emotional literacy. 

A selection of staff and pupils piloted the programme at Putney High School and the school has already seen great success. At the event a group of participants otherwise known as ‘Putney Pioneers’, explained how they had embraced the programme. 

“What impresses me the most about the programme is that it is underpinned by scientific research,” said Evergreen Armstrong, Head of Year 7 and Head of Wellbeing at Putney High School. “It speaks to an intuitive sense that we all have about teacher and student wellbeing, which is that they are intrinsically linked. As you go through the programme and acquire the knowledge and skills to develop your own emotional literacy, you can then begin to translate those tools into something meaningful for students.” 

That something meaningful is clearly already happening, as two Year 7 pupils explained how they were using the programme to be more positive about learning. They had already learnt about the differences between optimism and pessimism and explained to the audience how being negative can impact their ability to succeed. The audience was visibly impressed, as after all, it had only been a few weeks since they started at the school. 

This is the power of the Positive Schools Programme; it has the ability to change the entire school and beyond. GDST is seeing this impact in the schools that have piloted the programme, as between April 2016 and June 2017 Positive Group collected data from those using the digital tools and found that 54.2% agreed that it would help their wellbeing. 

These are outcomes that have delighted the GDST. “Our educational philosophy has always been about giving our pupils the tools to thrive, not just academically but as a whole person. To us, the value of Positive’s approach lies in its emphasis on improving your knowledge and understanding of how the mind interacts with emotions, and how this knowledge can be used proactively to help both our pupils and staff stay well, adapt to change and embrace challenge in their work and beyond,” said Cheryl Giovannoni, Chief Executive Officer at GDST.  

As the event at Putney High School drew to a close, it became clear that this is just the beginning of what Positive Group and GDST are hoping to achieve. 

W: putneyhigh.gdst.net 

 positivegroup.org 

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With gender inequality making headlines worldwide, the four-week course explores ways to support girls in the classroom in order to prepare them for their future lives and careers. The interactive tutorials guide participants through different aspects of pedagogy that develop and promote character traits such as independence, resilience, collaborative working, problem solving, and confidence.

Designed to help reach as many girls as possible, the course is aimed at those who shape the learning experience for girls in school: teachers, school leaders, school governors and parents.

Cathy Walter, Assistant Director of Education at the Girls’ Day School Trust and lead educator of the course, said, “At the Girls’ Day School Trust, we are passionate about our role in preparing girls for life beyond the classroom. The ways we teach can have a profound and positive influence in girls’ self-belief, confidence and character.  As experts in girls’ education, we are excited to share all we’ve learnt and to reach as many girls as possible.”

The ways we teach can have a profound and positive influence in girls’ self-belief, confidence and character.  As experts in girls’ education, we are excited to share all we’ve learnt and to reach as many girls as possible. – Cathy Walter, Assistant Director of Education, GDST

Simon Nelson, Chief Executive at FutureLearn, said: “Gender equality is widely discussed in today’s workforce, so it’s critical to address this issue as early as possible by opening up a dialogue in the classroom too. We’re thrilled that the Girls’ Day School Trust shares our ethos of helping everyone to fulfil their potential in a changing world. We hope this course will equip educators and those who influence classroom cultures with the skills to build confidence in girls.”

The course will help participants to:

• Explore strategies that develop character in a way that supports academic success in school and professional success after school, such as a ‘Growth Mindset’
• Identify practical in-school opportunities to develop confidence in girls for learning and later life, and consider the need to develop a cognitive vocabulary in girls
• Develop a rationale and criteria for effective collaborative learning to maximise effectiveness and engagement in girls’ learning
• Evaluate school-based strategies that can help girls build confidence and respond positively to learning challenges
• Reflect on, analyse and understand the implications of the course for practical use in the classroom

While working through these objectives, participants will reflect on the role that schools play in supporting girls’ long-term achievements and explore the importance of classroom culture and the value of ethos and atmosphere. They will also have the chance to discuss the vital balance between challenging learners and providing them with confidence, as well as the chance to evaluate and discuss aspects of the course with others who contribute towards shaping learning experiences.

As with most FutureLearn courses, this course can be taken for free or there is the option to upgrade to receive additional benefits.

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Rosemary is currently founder and joint CEO of theatre company Trafalgar Entertainment, and also a former pupil at the school, and the new centre has been named after her.

A special event was organised to mark the official opening of The Squire Performing Arts Centre, ’the space,’ when guests were able to see this fantastic facility for themselves, and enjoy a gala performance of the school’s first major production in ‘the space’: Grease.

The development has been made possible thanks to the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), the leading group of independent girls’ schools in the UK who contributed an initial £7.5m to the project. The remaining £1.5m was raised through a Raise the Curtain campaign chaired and supported by Rosemary Squire and other donations from various trusts and patrons, including Nottingham philanthropist Sir Harry Djanogly, school alumnae, parents, students and friends of the school.

Their generosity has been acknowledged by naming rooms in ‘the space’ after them, including the main auditorium named after Lady Carol Djanogly (wife of Sir Harry Djanogly) and a studio named after Jenny Farr MBE – an alumna and former governor of the school. Generous support from The Garfield Weston Foundation will be recognised with the naming of the 74 seat studio theatre. Individual and group donations have also been acknowledged through gold, silver and bronze leaves on an art installation, the Donor Tree, which takes pride of place at the entrance to the centre.

This modern, new addition to the existing facilities will be used across the whole school providing performance space for the youngest girls’ right through to the Sixth Form, enhancing the teaching, learning and performance of music and drama at the school.

The centre will also be available for use by community groups, arts organisations, other schools and businesses, beyond school hours. It has been purposefully designed to widen access to the arts and for developing community led projects. Nottingham’s schools and vibrant local dance, music and theatre groups will now have access to high-quality, affordable space for teaching, rehearsal and performance – a provision that has so far been limited.

The building has been designed by Nottingham architectural practice MarshGrochowski and was built by Balfour Beatty.  It comprises a flexible 334 seat performance space with a 260 seat multi-purpose auditorium which, through the use of floor lifts, is divisible into two separate teaching and performance areas creating a separate 74 seat studio with dressing rooms, a multi-purpose rehearsal studio and green room as well as a café bar and breakout spaces. The acoustics are designed to ideally suit both musical productions and dialogue based performances and conferences.

The theatre also has an orchestra pit and control rooms with professional technical equipment, and a tension wire grid above the auditorium allowing safe access to lighting rigs and industry standard equipment, and enabling students to learn the professional skills of the theatre technician.

The opening of ‘the space’ has also created career and employment opportunities. Steve Ridgway, formerly of Nottingham Playhouse, has been appointed as the centre’s technical manager and will be supported by additional technicians along with openings for café bar and front of house staff.

A management committee has been set up to oversee the centre’s non-school use by the local community and external bodies.  This committee comprises representatives from Nottingham City Council, local arts organisations and the school, as well as local residents. With their input, a programme of events including plays, seminars, musical events, dance, workshops and activities will be devised to help develop a thriving community space within the city.

We are delighted to be opening our new performing arts centre and I’m sure it’s going to be a great addition, not only to the school, but also to the local community, and that’s really important – Julie Keller, Head of Nottingham Girls’ High School

Julie Keller, Head of Nottingham Girls’ High School, said: “We are delighted to be opening our new performing arts centre and I’m sure it’s going to be a great addition, not only to the school, but also to the local community, and that’s really important. With the many different facilities available, our girls will be able to learn many different theatre skills. Whether they’re interested in acting, singing, lighting or sound, there will be something for everybody.”

Referring to the imminent opening and naming of ‘the space’, Julie added: “As a result of Rosemary’s association with the school, the role she played in spearheading and supporting the fundraising and her status in the world of theatre, it is only fitting that the centre be named after her.”

“I had a fantastic time at Nottingham Girls’ High School, which instilled a love of the arts in me that encouraged me to pursue my career in theatre,” said Rosemary Squire. “It is therefore a great honour to not just have been involved in the fundraising for this new performing arts centre, but also to have my family name connected to a place that was so important to me. I can’t wait to see both the school and the local community benefit from it and to be in the audience for its many future exciting productions.”

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We have some excellent state schools throughout Essex and Suffolk and we wanted to ensure that bright girls, who may not have thought they could consider independent school education due to financial constraints, had the opportunity to include the sixth form at Ipswich High School in their potential sixth form choices.

This year, for the first time, we launched our Elliston Award to enable some of the best and brightest pupils from state schools to apply to our sixth form by significantly reducing the cost of an independent school sixth form education. 

This is a financial award worth up to 50% of the Ipswich High School fees throughout the sixth form and is for strong applicants from state-funded schools. We have fully committed to widening access to our sixth form and as such, guarantee that at least one of these awards is given to any suitable applicant from each state-funded school throughout Essex or Suffolk.

There are set criteria for these awards. All applicants must be predicted/have achieved seven A*–C grades (or six to nine in the new marking scheme) in their GCSE subjects and have a letter of recommendation from their current school. In addition, all applicants come to Ipswich High School for interviews and testing and we are looking for potential, motivation and a real love of learning. In our interviews, we uncover what motivates the girls and tell them about our approach to A-levels in the sixth form including our small group teaching and the mature culture that we create amongst our year 12s and 13s. 

In my view, the Elliston Award has been very successful in its launch year. Our first cohort of awardees will join us in September 2017 and will include girls from eight schools. The pupils who have applied have been impressive in their interviews and entrance examinations. Their interests and A-level subject choices are incredibly diverse which mirrors our existing sixth form community and I am sure that all of the girls joining us will add something to our unique environment. 

We were delighted that the applicants have all commented on the welcoming atmosphere of the school and that they have seen the appeal of small classes, tutorial-style teaching and the preparation they will receive for applying to top universities. 

As one of 26 schools in the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), the leading network of independent girls’ schools in the UK, Ipswich High School is fully committed to the value of girls-only education. We are also committed to providing financial assistance to talented, motivated girls, whose families are not in a position to pay full school fees. The Elliston Award has allowed us to extend this provision even further in the sixth form which I see as crucial to allow as many girls as possible to benefit from this transformative phase of education.

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Speaking at the annual ‘Young Leaders’ Conference’, GDST CEO, Cheryl Giovannoni, said that teachers have a responsibility to reassure girls that making mistakes and facing difficulties is an integral part of the learning process.

“It is widely acknowledged that boys and girls learn differently, but this new analysis clearly identifies that the best teachers consistently bring girls out of their comfort zones and encourage them to take risks. It also confirms that teaching practices that set out to challenge girls are succeeding in developing more resilient learners. Creating stable, secure learning environments enables girls to become more confident and self-assured. When transferred into the workplace, these qualities quite literally pay dividends as women are able to negotiate and speak-up more effectively, particularly on issues around pay and promotion,” she said.

Also speaking at the event was Ann Francke, Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

Young people need to understand that confidence plays a big part in why male managers are more likely to get promoted than women – Ann Francke, Chief Executive of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI)

“Young people need to understand that confidence plays a big part in why male managers are more likely to get promoted than women. Women need to be bold, put themselves forward for promotion, take more risks, learn how to fail and bounce back. All of these professional skills can be learned early on, such as through doing a Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship,” she said.

Recent research from the CMI identified that while women comprise 73% of the workforce in entry and junior level roles, female representation drops to 42% at the level of senior management. Just 32% of director-level posts are held by women and male managers are 40% more likely than female managers to be promoted.

Resilience and a preparedness to take risks are what make young women stand out from the crowd – Cheryl Giovannoni, GDST CEO

“Independent thinking is a highly desirable attribute in the workplace but it isn’t something you can sit an exam in. Resilience and a preparedness to take risks are what make young women stand out from the crowd – whether in large meetings, unfamiliar surroundings or high-stakes situations. As well as building character there is strong evidence that these qualities also aid progression,” added Giovannoni.

The Young Leaders’ Conference gives student leaders from across the GDST network real-life experience of leadership, working as part of a team in an ‘Apprentice-style’ challenge for one of the four charities showcasing their work at the event: Hope & Homes for Children, Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust, MicroLoan Foundation and The Lily Foundation (which raises awareness of Mitochondrial disease).

Many women working their way up major global companies still suffer setbacks and challenges because of their gender. Equipping young women with relevant leadership skills – including teamwork, communication, negotiation, problem solving and financial management – will benefit them enormously when they embark on their chosen careers.

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The first course, ‘Girls’ Education: teaching strategies that develop resilience, confidence and collaboration’ is now open for enrolment and will start on 21 November 2016. It will be run by Professor John West-Burnham and GDST Assistant Director of Education, Cathy Walter.

The course will examine the significant factors that influence girls’ learning experiences, in particular strategies that develop character in a way that supports academic success in school and professional success in their future careers.

It builds on the premise that the behaviours the education system rewards – studying, careful preparation, patient climbing from one level to the next – seem to give women an advantage academically. Yet in the world of work, people hire and promote based on character as much as on formal qualifications.

Different aspects of ‘girl-friendly’ pedagogy will be examined with a particular focus on approaches that develop and promote character traits such as independence, resilience, collaborative working, problem solving and confidence.

These approaches include:

• Collaborative learning
• Challenge
• Problem-solving

Learners joining the course will have the opportunity to watch videos, debate key issues and read articles. At every step of the course, there is also the opportunity to post comments online and engage with fellow students.

Welcoming the partnership, the GDST’s Head of Creative Teaching and Learning, Cat Scutt, said: “We are really excited to be the first school group to be accepted as partners by FutureLearn. In a world where technology is increasingly at the centre of the learning experience of school students, we are keen to embrace the opportunities afforded by online learning for teachers on a massive scale. FutureLearn provides the ideal platform for this, giving us a huge opportunity to cement ourselves as leaders in innovation and teacher development.”

Nigel Smith, Head of Content for FutureLearn, added: “It gives us great pleasure to add GDST to our learning establishments partnerships. We are looking forward to working with them to deliver the unique benefits of the international collaborative social learning environment offered by FutureLearn which encourages teachers from all over the world to share their questions and thoughts, and allows them to grow together to get the best results for their students.”

Find out more at www.futurelearn.com/partners/girls-day-school-trust

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