Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the GDST Summer Conference at Brighton High School for Girls. It is very special and unique to be part of such a powerful organisation, but more importantly, to connect with other Heads from the Trust and share stories, practices, and experiences within a safe space. These professional friendships really help to guide and support me, particularly with so many considerations currently facing the independent sector.
At our Sixth Form event for Year 10 pupils this week, we welcomed back four alumnae to be part of a panel where they answered questions about life in Sixth Form and beyond Bromley High School. While they were utterly charming in their presentation, the integrity, substance, and humour behind their answers were enthralling. They all spoke about the power of all-female networking and professional connections.
The power of connection can amplify our impact as educational pioneers. Our founder, Miss Heppel (1883), had the ability to make great things happen despite operating within a system that was ultimately against her. She reached out to like-minded people who supported her in founding Bromley High School. Miss Heppel used the connections of her sisters within the GDST and ASCL (now a leading union for school leaders) to launch our school. She understood perfectly the role Bromley High could play in the outside world and the role of the outside world within Bromley High.
Every day, we encourage our girls to see the value in helping each other and working in a way that includes them all. Nurturing character education through co-curricular learning has the ability to change the way our girls approach life in general. Building spirit, putting the team before the individual, creating a sense of family, and considering more widely what really matters. Prioritising wellbeing in our girls – know yourself, look after yourself, look after others – feeds into a positive future where each girl can thrive. All these things encourage an outward focus and introduce the early skills of networking.
I believe that if Miss Heppel could see the legacy of what she started 141 years ago, she would be very proud of our girls. They see each other not as rivals but as fellow workers for a great cause, advancing their futures and representing other women in society.
In the words of John Lennon, “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”
The GDST provides a full complement of networking opportunities, including an alumnae portal, alumnae connection opportunities, Rungway (a connection app for GDST alumnae), a careers portal, LinkedIn page, and ‘how to network’ training. By leveraging the wider network of the GDST, as I do myself, the girls can build meaningful and helpful relationships that enhance knowledge, experience, and opportunity.
Mrs Emily Codling, Headmistress