Breakout Sessions

This international panel brings together school leaders from the UK, Australia and Canada to explore how girls’ schools are preparing their students not simply to use emerging technologies, but to shape them and lead the future in a rapidly changing landscape.  OECD’s Gender Equality in a Changing World (2025) highlights that the digital transition is accelerating faster than gender‑equality efforts, leaving girls and women underrepresented in AI, cybersecurity, advanced computing, and other high‑growth fields. Crucially, digital and AI skills are now required across all careers, not only STEM. UNESCO and the World Economic Forum similarly emphasise that shaping AI requires far more than technical proficiency: deep literacy (reading, reasoning, critical interpretation), creativity, ethical judgment, cultural awareness, and interdisciplinary learning across humanities, arts, STEM, and ethics. Add to this the emerging ‘independence’ of AI agents, and the societal and governance concerns this raises, the need to develop girls’ architect mindsets becomes imperative.

This powerful panel brings together some of the greatest thought leaders in girls’ education today. Join us to hear how they are shaping their own answers and exploring how their schools are developing architect mindsets — the shift from passive consumption of technology to active creation, critique, and leadership. 

Panel Contributors

• Cheryl Giovannoni, CEO, Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST): Facilitator
• Linda Douglas, Principal of Wenona, Sydney, Australia and ICGS Board Chair
• Deryn Lavell, Head of School, York House School, Vancouver, Canada
• Antonia Geldeard, Head of Sydenham and Dulwich Girls, GDST

Limitless Learning: the Power of GDST ConnectEd

This session showcases the GDST's "ConnectEd" online learning experience, exploring the benefits it brings to students, and encourage schools to consider similar hybrid learning models.  ConnectEd addresses a critical educational challenge: sustaining minority subjects while enhancing the student experience. By pooling resources across four schools, we have moved beyond the emergency online learning of the pandemic to establish an agile, hybrid model that mirrors the modern, professional workplace.  ConnectEd is as immediate and interactive as a traditional seminar, with a tech-forward twist that students genuinely enjoy.  The benefits are clear: student satisfaction, pathways to top-tier universities, and greater digital autonomy.

Julie Keller, Head | Nottingham Girls GDST

Learning to Sell Yourself: Helping Girls Own and Articulate Their Skills

Girls have the academic ability & skills employers want but are reluctant with the idea of "selling themselves," reading confident self-promotion as arrogance. This session shares WHS's practical approach to helping girls get comfortable naming and claiming their strengths: translating everyday experience into evidence for CVs and personal statements, then rehearsing saying it out loud with genuine confidence in interview settings. Participants leave with ideas to consider both the content (what to say) and the comfort (how to say it without cringing) closing the gap between what girls can do and how they can demonstrate it in a way that improves employability outcomes. I plan to include students where appropriate to share experiences.  

Fiona Lucas, Head of Employability & Enterprise | Wimbledon High School

The Magic of Childhood: Protecting Childhood, Preparing Girls for the Future

The Magic of Childhood: Protecting Childhood Whilst Preparing Girls for the Future  Childhood is changing. Girls are growing up in a world of unprecedented opportunity, but also increasing pressure, pace and complexity. From social media and smartphones to academic expectations and the constant pull of parental expectations, the space to simply be a child is shrinking.  This session explores how at South Hampstead Junior School we work to protect and preserve the magic of childhood while preparing girls confidently for the modern world. Drawing on practical experience, we will consider the power of play, books, imagination, relationships, curiosity and time away from screens, and the importance of valuing kind over cool. We will explore how schools can create space for children to wonder, take risks, develop independence and simply be children, without compromising on academic excellence.

Zoe Paramour, Head of Junior School | South Hampstead Junior School

Beyond Coding: Designing Future Skills for Girls Aged 7–11

How do we prepare girls not just for the next school, but for a future we cannot yet fully predict? This session explores the development of GlenX Future Skills, Glendower's innovative programme designed specifically for girls aged 7–11. Moving beyond traditional digital literacy, GlenX focuses on algorithmic understanding, digital discernment, entrepreneurship, climate and geopolitical awareness, and confident communication. Drawing on research into girls' education, neuroscience, and the future of work, this interactive session will share the rationale, curriculum design process, successes, challenges and practical frameworks that schools can adapt to create future-ready learners without sacrificing the foundations of childhood.

Claire Boyd, Head | Glendower Prep School

United in Purpose: Why Girls’ Schools Still Matter

This joint presentation shares findings of collaborative research undertaken by two schools, to understand the enduring appeal of girls’ education. Drawing on parent insights, enrolment trends, and broader societal narratives, the Principals will unpack key factors influencing families’ decisions and reaffirm the unique value proposition of girls’ schools.   This session highlights the strategic importance of girls’ schools working together. While collaboration strengthens the sector, each school maintains its distinct identity and messaging. Attendees will leave with a renewed understanding of how unity and individuality can coexist in girls’ education, and how strategic partnerships can amplify impact without diluting purpose.   

Jane Danvers, Principal, Kambala, Sydney and Erica Thomas, Principal, Kincoppal-Rose Bay, Sydney

More Room at the Top: Unlocking the Power of High Performance Learning

This session will explore how we owe it to our girls to reject outdated norms where only a limited number of students are expected to perform highly, and how we can teach all girls to be high performance learners.  It will also explore the impact of adopting High Performance Learning (founded by Professor Deborah Eyre) from the perspective of a ‘mature’ HPL school, specifically how it can be harnessed for improvement in all sorts of areas of school life. We’ll then invite colleagues to consider the extent to which they are supporting all their girls to be high performers, and how they could have even more impact. 

Georgina Manville, Head of Staff Professional Learning and Development  | St Swithun’s

From Voice to Impact: Cultivating Student Leadership through Social Action

This session is designed for educators seeking to empower students as active, responsible, and confident contributors to their communities. By integrating social action, student leadership, and personal development, the session provides practical strategies to help young women find their voice, take initiative, and develop essential life skills. Primary and secondary school teachers, pastoral staff, and school leaders interested in personal development and enrichment would benefit from the session.  By the end of this session, participants will: Understand the value of social action in fostering student engagement and purpose Explore models of student leadership that promote ownership and agency Gain tools to support students’ personal development, including confidence, resilience, and self-reflection Design or adapt activities that embed these elements into their own teaching context. 

Nic Ponsonby, Deputy Headteacher | Challney High School for Girls

An Approach to Enrichment and the Role of Languages in Cross Curricular Learning

This session gives an insight into the provision of one school, Wycombe Abbey, in terms of enriching pupils and recognising the interdisciplinary nature of study. Key aspects are: The in-house Lower School (Y8) Dove Award, which encourages pupils to develop as learners, community members and individuals who flourish, through a combination of academic, co-curricular and personal development activities; The ML Enrichment Portfolio which maximises interdisciplinary learning in modern languages while serving as a meaningful platform for embedding digital skills; the School’s Carrington Programme, which brings together university preparation with education of the skills necessary for flourishing at university and beyond. 

James Young, Director of Teaching and Learning, Sally Harbour, Head of Lower School, Luis Fuentes Olea, Head of Spanish, Olly Murphy, Deputy Head of Sixth Form | Wycombe Abbey

Rethinking the Lower School Curriculum: Enquiry, Innovation and Future-Ready Learning

How can schools design curricula that prepare students not just for examinations, but for life beyond them? This session explores Benenden School’s innovative Lower School curriculum, centred on interdisciplinary enquiry projects and the explicit teaching of skills including collaboration, resilience, analytical thinking, empathy, technological literacy and leadership. Through practical case studies and discussion, delegates will consider how enquiry-based learning can foster curiosity, academic rigour and meaningful engagement while preparing young people for an increasingly complex world.

Carrie Collins, Head of Diploma and Teacher of English | Benenden School

“Oops, I did it again!”: Encouraging Perfectionists to Make Mistakes

One of the challenges when teaching high-achieving girls is that they often show perfectionist tendencies, including not wanting to make mistakes or contribute in lessons, in case they get something wrong. This session will offer research-backed, tried-and-tested practical strategies to encourage your students to take risks and learn by making mistakes. 

Kate Medley, Head of Spanish/Pedagogy Lead | Aylesbury High School

Philanthropy Strategies in Girls’ Schools: A Leadership Conversation (for Headteachers Only)

In an era where schools are navigating rising expectations, shifting donor behaviours, and increasing pressure to diversify income streams, strategic philanthropy has become a critical lever for long‑term sustainability—particularly in girls’ schools, where mission, community, and impact are uniquely intertwined.

This Headteachers‑only session brings together three highly experienced voices in school advancement:

• Laura McGarry, Senior Leader at Graham‑Pelton, one of the world’s most respected fundraising consultancies, known for guiding schools and charities to build resilient philanthropic cultures and deliver transformational campaigns.
• Megan Murphy, Global Executive Director of ICGS, whose development leadership spans major campaigns, international education programmes, and more than $71 million raised for girls’ schools and global initiatives. Megan brings a rare, worldwide perspective on what motivates donors to invest in girls’ education—and how Heads can shape the conditions for success.
• Jane Narich, Senior Vice President at Graham-Pelton, known as an international philanthropy professional who recently led a $60 million campaign in 18 months at Chinese International School in Hong Kong and has built development offices for schools across Europe.

Together, Laura, Megan and Jane will explore practical, evidence‑informed strategies for strengthening philanthropic engagement in girls’ schools, including:

• Building a culture of giving that aligns with your school’s values and community
• Understanding donor motivations in a girls’ school context
• The Head’s role in advancing major gifts and stewarding long‑term relationships
• Approaches that help schools move from transactional fundraising to strategic philanthropy
• Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
• Insights from global campaigns and consultancy work that illuminate what truly works

Designed specifically for Headteachers, this session offers a candid, grounded discussion on leading philanthropy with confidence—whether you are refining an established programme or laying foundations for future growth. Expect practical guidance, sector‑relevant examples, and a thoughtful exploration of how Heads can shape philanthropic strategy in ways that strengthen both mission and community.

Laura McGarry, Managing Principal at Graham‑Pelton, Megan Murphy, Global Executive Director of ICGS, and Jane Narich, Senior Vice President at Graham Pelton

Good Girls Don't Cry: Evidence Informed Approaches to Growing Great Minds and Big Hearts at Kensington Prep

At Kensington Prep, research is embedded in school life, shaping our teaching, pastoral care and leadership. Recognised by ISI for our evidence-informed practice and awarded Research Mark Plus, our staff are active practitioner-researchers, continually asking how we can help our girls to flourish. Our research explores motivation, resilience, emotional regulation, autonomy, self-worth and confidence, with a particular focus on helping high-achieving girls move beyond perfectionism. Our thoughtful research translates directly into practice, shaping an environment in which girls develop the confidence to take risks, embrace challenges and grow through setbacks. The result is girls who are resilient, bold in spirit and ready to confound the norm.

Rachel Floyd, Head, Lucie Neal, Head of Maths and Research Champion, Teifi Gale, Head of Philosophy, Emma Williams, Deputy Head, Pastoral and DSL, Debbie Winson, Deputy Head, Academic  | Kensington Prep School, GDST

Girls’ Voices on a Sustainable Future: Inspiring Action, Connection and Hope

In Spring 2026, the GDST conducted the largest survey of girls’ views on sustainability to date. This pioneering research captures the voices of over 10,000 students, not just those of eco-committees, and offers a powerful insight into what girls think about sustainability, how they feel about the planet’s future and, crucially, how they want to learn about and engage with environmental issues. This session will highlight some of the key survey findings, exploring the role of nature and the outdoors and unpacking what environmental stewardship means to this generation of girls. Beyond the numbers, we’ll share practical and engaging strategies that will resonate with students to drive real connection and lasting impact, drawing on case studies from our schools.

Amy Bailey, Head of Educational Partnerships and Engagement, GDST, Kath Lovett, Head of Art and Photography, Bromley High School, GDST 

Motivation, Mindset and Academic Achievement: Evaluating Ability Setting in Girls' Schools

Should girls' schools set their students by ability? Ability grouping remains a common operational and pedagogical decision, particularly in secondary education. Drawing on my Oxford Master’s research within an independent girls' school, alongside updated educational literature, this session will examine how ‘ability setting’ influences girls' motivation, self-efficacy, and academic achievement. Attendees will evaluate the trade-offs between differentiation and pupil confidence, challenge prevailing assumptions around ‘ability’, and explore actionable, research-informed frameworks to review their school’s grouping policies to ensure every girl can achieve highly.

James Ahsan, Deputy Head (Academic) | Northwood College for Girls, GDST

Getting Staff on Board: Designing Engaging and Purposeful CPD Sessions

The 4pm slump... the morning rush... the INSET day fatigue... This session explores how CPD, staff meetings, and directed staff time can be structured to maximise engagement and participation. We will discuss how you can do this whilst still getting across core and important messages.

Reece Merk, Director of Teaching and Staff Development | South Hampstead High School, GDST

Designed for Girls: The Junior School Advantage

What does it really mean to design an education intentionally for girls aged 7–11? This interactive session explores how Junior Schools can move beyond simply being all-girls to ensuring that curriculum, pedagogy, pastoral care, sport and enrichment are purposefully shaped around girls’ needs. Drawing on research, practice and pupil voice, participants will consider the opportunities an all-girls environment offers to raise academic ambition, challenge stereotypes, build confidence and create space for girls to thrive. Together, we will ask: what should we do differently because we educate girls – and how do we know it makes a difference?

Carolyn Howe, Head of Junior School | Bedford Girls' School

Stoking the Fire: Making the Most of the Middle Leader Engine Room

Sharing five years of middle leader training experience, this session will begin by sharing how St Swithun’s has tailored its programme to supporting all middle leaders (academic, pastoral, boarding) to ensure everyone is ‘up to something’ that secures the continuous development of the school. We will share practical examples as well as tested pathways that have successfully supported middle leaders to thrive. We will then invite colleagues to look at our programme and consider which aspects would work well in their schools and offer support, contacts and guidance for next steps. 

Katy Barnett, Head of Middle School | St Swithun's School

Character Education at Wycombe Abbey: Recognising and Rewarding our School Values

In a data-driven, anxiety-ridden world, schools are under immense pressure to produce outstanding exam results and keep students safe. It is challenging to find space in the timetable to embed values and cultivate character explicitly, especially since ‘values’ and ‘character’ are tricky to measure, but we must rise to this challenge. This presentation will explain why, before unpacking the process of developing character education at a girls’ boarding school. It will outline the methodology used to evaluate our existing provisions, identify key findings from that evaluation, and explore ways to design a values-led curriculum that is meaningful, feasible and sustainable.

Charlie Pemberton, Deputy Head of Upper School and Teacher of Classics | Wycombe Abbey

Leading with Possibility: Women Creating Space for Others to Flourish

What does it mean to lead with possibility?

As women, many of us navigate multiple roles and responsibilities simultaneously, balancing leadership with the demands of family, community and service to others. These experiences often shape how we build relationships, support colleagues, respond to challenges and create opportunities for growth.

In this session, three leaders from Rashid and Latifa School in Dubai will explore what "leading with possibility" means in practice. Through personal reflections and practical examples, we will consider how curiosity, empathy, courage, collaboration and belief in others can become powerful drivers of leadership and organisational growth.

Drawing on our experiences of leading a girls' school through a period of significant growth and transformation, we will reflect on how women can create the conditions in which other women flourish, contribute and lead. We will also explore how schools can intentionally nurture these same qualities in girls, helping them develop confidence, agency and ambition.

At its heart, this session is about expanding horizons. It is about creating spaces where women and girls can imagine new possibilities for themselves and others, and equipping them with the confidence and support to pursue those possibilities with purpose.

Claire Crew, Principal - Girls, Samantha Pyper, Assistant Principal - Head of Upper School, Elizabeth Hewitt, Head of Faculty of Health and Wellness | Rashid and Latifa School

Shaping True inclusion

This session will explore the increasingly diverse needs of students in mainstream provision and how schools can adapt inline with expanding policies, frameworks and expectations.  Policies and frameworks for inclusion tasks schools with supporting the workforce to evolve in their understanding and beliefs of inclusion. Shaping how teachers think about inclusion is not an obligation but a core principle of teaching.  This session provides an insight into how Challney High School for Girls has helped develop true Inclusion and supported teachers to evolve their practice alongside the needs of the students.

Lisa West, SENDCO | Challney High School for Girls

Fostering Autonomy in Primary Mathematics: Reflections on Action Research

Drawing on action research, this session explores how an AI-mediated approach prompted a reflection on strategies to foster autonomy in primary mathematics. The discussion considers how these insights are being used to reshape how girls identify success in primary mathematics, with broader implications for everyday practice.

Lauren Parker, Year 6 Classroom Teacher and Junior School Digital Strategy Lead | Notting Hill and Ealing High School 

Measured, Not Heard: AI, Public Speaking and Girls’ Confidence

Can AI help girls become more confident public speakers — or does confidence depend on something more human? Drawing on an action research project with Year 6 girls and five years developing public-speaking programmes, this session explores what happens when AI enters the deeply relational space of the public-speaking workshop. It considers how technology can reduce the social risk of rehearsal, how girls negotiate the authority of automated feedback, and what this reveals about confidence, agency and recognition. Attendees will leave with practical approaches to public-speaking rehearsal, feedback and AI use that keep girls’ own voices at the centre.

James Porter, Head of Upper Junior School English | Wimbledon High Junior School

Beyond the Blank Page: Using AI Tools to Cultivate Academic Buoyancy in English

This presentation explores how AI tools can be used to strengthen girls’ academic buoyancy in English, particularly when undertaking creative tasks that often prompt a fear of the blank page.  In a Year 9 context, AI-supported writing tools were used during the planning stage of creative writing tasks to enhance girls’ confidence in generating and expressing ideas. The findings highlight how timely, strategically implemented, AI interactions can help students navigate moments of academic uncertainty and build greater confidence in their writing.

Nichola Rivers, Teacher of English, School Consultant Teacher | Blackheath High School

Thinking Beyond the Prompt: Building Critical AI Users in the Classroom

As students adopt AI tools at an accelerating rate, teachers play an urgent role in guiding their thoughtful, critical use. This session explores how we supported Year 10 girls in becoming critical users of AI. Over the course of this action research project, students demonstrated more intentional, confident, and collaborative engagement with AI, alongside a strengthened sense of learning agency. Crucially, findings highlight that students still deeply value teacher presence, welcoming open dialogue as they navigate the evolving AI landscape.

Zoe Steer, Co-Head of Science and Head of Biology | Oxford High School GDST

Beyond the Answer Engine: Using AI to Drive Critical Thinking

Is generative AI destined to cause cognitive offloading, or are we just using it wrong? AI shouldn't do the thinking for students—it should challenge how they think. This presentation demonstrates how to configure AI into a Socratic coach that asks open-ended questions, pushing students to justify their decisions, evaluate alternatives, and take true intellectual ownership of their work.

David Bratton, Teacher of Design and Technology/ Head of year 7 | Bromley High School

Back to Basics: Building Leaders, Not Screen Habits

In a rapidly evolving technological world, employers consistently emphasise the need for young people who think critically, communicate confidently, solve problems creatively, collaborate thoughtfully, and lead with empathy. These future‑ready capabilities are built from the basics up — a long‑standing strength of girls’ schools and part of the sector’s DNA. This collaborative Headteachers’ session explores how girls’ schools nationally and internationally continue to nurture the timeless skills that underpin exceptional female employees, leaders, and citizens. It highlights how girls’ schools intentionally step back from day‑to‑day reliance on technology — not to reject it, but to strengthen the human, cognitive, and relational foundations that enable girls to thrive in a tech‑driven world and shape it with insight. Participants will share practice and examine how girls’ schools cultivate oracy, critical thinking, problem‑solving, organisation, compassion, creativity, enterprise, financial literacy, leadership, and personal passions, alongside the quiet analogue essentials that build judgement and understanding. These are not nostalgic skills; they are the groundings that prepare girls to become the leaders — including the tech leaders — our future needs. Join fellow Headteachers to reflect on the sector’s enduring strengths, explore emerging national and international practice, and consider how “back to basics” in girls’ schools remains one of the most future‑ready approaches of all.

Emilie Darabasz, Headteacher, The Frances Bardsley Academy for Girls, and Kate Page, Headteacher, Ricards Lodge 

Warriors and Kings: Reimagining Classical Theatre in Girls' Schools

Classical theatre offers girls some of drama’s richest language and most commanding roles, yet many canonical plays were written for male performers and remain dominated by male characters. Drawing on nearly a decade of Shakespeare, Greek theatre and modern classics at Wimbledon High School, alongside influential professional all-female productions, this session explores what happens when girls inhabit the whole dramatic world. When does casting simply become an accepted theatrical convention, and when does it cast new light on authority, violence, family and power? Former pupils will join the conversation, reflecting on the challenges, discoveries and opportunities these roles have offered them.

Tristan Daws, Drama and English Teacher | Wimbledon High School

Aspirational Futures for Girls

Competitive university applications begin long before Year 13. This session explores how we can empower girls to aspire early, build confidence, embrace challenge and see every pathway available to them from music, art and film to STEM and academia.  Drawing on the Futures and HE Aspire programme developed for students from Year 10 at Putney High School we will examine practical strategies for fostering intellectual curiosity, academic ambition, specialist interests and informed preparation.   Together, we will consider what girls need to thrive in competitive university admissions and how schools can equip them with the confidence, resilience and aspirations for successful futures. 

Lindsay Patience, Head of Futures | Putney High School, GDST

What Else Could You Try? Engineering Excellence in the Junior Years. What does it actually take for a Junior School to be recognised at national level? 

This session goes behind the scenes of a TES Prep School of the Year shortlisting to share the practical architecture of excellence: how a coherent pedagogical framework, rigorous self-evaluation and a distinctive school identity combine to produce results that stand up to external scrutiny. Drawing on lived experience of building a whole-school curriculum framework from first principles, this session offers delegates a replicable model, not just an inspiring story. Expect concrete tools, hard-won lessons, and space to interrogate how "excellence" is evidenced in your own unique setting.

Gillian Panton, Head of Junior School | Sydenham & Dulwich Girls, GDST

Not Just Childcare: Why EYFS Matters More Than Ever in Girls’ Schools.

As a recent finalist for TES EYFS Setting of the Year, Newcastle High School for Girls (GDST) has developed an EYFS provision that is recognised for its quality, ambition and impact. In this session, Emma Barnett, Head of Junior School, will explore how a successful Early Years Foundation Stage does far more than provide childcare.  High-quality early education lays the foundations for lifelong learning, supports future academic success, and can play a significant role in the long-term growth and sustainability of a school. Drawing on the Newcastle High School for Girls experience, Emma will share practical insights into curriculum design, learning environments and the strategic role of EYFS within an all-girls, all through-school setting.  She will demonstrate how creating challenging, engaging and purposeful experiences for young children can positively influence pupil outcomes, strengthen parental engagement and support future pupil recruitment and retention. Delegates will have the opportunity to see the curriculum in action and learn how a "foundations first" approach has successfully integrated EYFS into the wider school journey at NHSG.

Emma Barnett, Head of Junior School | Newcastle High School for Girls, GDST

STEM with Purpose: Empowering Girls Through Creativity, Enterprise, and Social Action

What happens when STEM is connected to creativity, enterprise and making a genuine difference? This session explores how purposeful learning experiences can inspire more girls to see themselves as future designers, engineers, scientists and technologists. Through real-world projects, social action, industry partnerships and meaningful extracurricular opportunities, students develop confidence, leadership and ambition while tackling authentic challenges. Drawing on successful practice from an award-winning all-girls school, this session shares practical, transferable ideas for creating a culture where girls don’t just participate in STEM, they lead, innovate and create positive change.

Natalie Cameron, Assistant Head Enrichment Leadership & Partnerships Head of Design & Technology | Newstead Wood School

High Self Confidence and Low Self Esteem: Preparing Neurodivergent Girls for the Future

This session will be a facilitated discussion and sharing of best practice around supporting girls with low support need neurodivergence, especially on the ADHD and/or autism spectrum, with successful and confident applications and preparations for their future beyond the structured supports of sixth form life. It will include some tips and templates that have worked for the presenter before opening out the discussion.

Helen Boobis, Assistant Head: Futures/EDI Lead | Roedean School

Applying for UK Medical Schools

This session will explore the process of applying to UK universities for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science. We will explore what the universities are looking for including achievements, personal statements and references. We will then look at ways in which you can advise and support your candidates through these different hurdles and provide concreate examples and different strategies you can put in place to support preparing them for interview.

Matthew Whiteley, Biology Teacher & Head of Medical Applications | Wycombe Abbey

The Journey of Religion Through the Lens of Ambition and Success

This session explores how an ambitious, inclusive Religious Education curriculum empowers students to become confident, independent learners ready to thrive in a changing world. Drawing on Challney High School for Girls’ approach, it shows how curriculum design aligned with whole-school priorities—pedagogy, independence, and inclusivity, inspires curiosity and academic success. Delegates will discover practical strategies for closing the KS3–KS4 transition gap through sequenced curriculum design and a rotating pedagogical focus on oracy, reading, literacy and technology, alongside using purposeful rewards to build reading confidence. Attendees will leave with ideas for an inclusive RE curriculum that celebrates diversity and builds success. 

Shamma Aslam, Head of RE | Challney High School for Girls

Flexible Working Without Losing Grip: What Actually Works

This breakout session explores how flexible working can be a strategic strength in schools rather than a compromise. Delegates will consider the benefits for recruitment, retention and wellbeing, alongside how to plan flexibly in a way that protects operational effectiveness and maintains high standards. The session will focus on maximising benefits for staff while ensuring the smooth running of the school, and will make the case for why flexible working is ultimately in students’ best interests. Practical, tried-and-tested approaches will be shared, alongside an honest assessment of impact, challenges and lessons learned from our school context.

Nicola Renyard, Headteacher | Wycombe High School

Missio Futur: Evidence-Based Design to Transform Female STEAM Aspirations

Adolescent girls face a critical drop in technological self-efficacy at age 15. Aligned with SEFI's motto 'Engineering Education for Humanity', PISA 2025 frameworks, and Generative STEM principles, this presentation introduces Missió Futur, an evidence-based analogue board game developed at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC). Grounded in RoseS-C data from 2,200+ students, the project demystifies technology as cold machinery, showing girls that technological tools are fundamentally designed to help people and care for communities. The session demonstrates how cooperative play fosters psychological safety, empowering girls to harness STEM as a humanized force for real-world social good.

Maricarmen Albas-Bollit, Mathematics Teacher & Alumna at Col-legi La Vall | Senior Telecommunications Engineer & PhD candidate at UPC