2024-2025
This report reflects a landmark year for the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) – one in which we welcomed Redmaids’ High School to our family of schools, celebrated truly outstanding GCSE and A-Level results and launched a global conversation on ‘Designing the Future of Girls’ Education’ through our latest research.
The achievements of our students and alumnae continue to be sources of real pride. We celebrated record-breaking GCSE and A-Level exam results, with all our schools outperforming both independent and national school averages in public examinations. We launched our latest GDST landmark research, Designing the Future of Girls’ Education, at the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Conference in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, we have been inspired by the recognition received and impact made by our ever-growing 100,000 strong alumnae network.
We are committed to ensuring a GDST education is as affordable and accessible as possible, and our schools have been recognised in a national league table as amongst the very best value-for-money schools based on academic performance, facilities and fees.
I am immensely proud of the GDST community, of every single student and potential changemaker of the future, and I am deeply grateful to the dedication of our teachers and professional staff in all our schools and at Trust Office, who embody our core value of putting girls first every single day.
Cheryl Giovannoni
Chief Executive
At the GDST, we know that girls thrive when they are encouraged to lead, challenge expectations and think big. A GDST education is tailored to how girls learn best, where every girl knows her voice matters and every ambition is taken seriously. Through a strong core curriculum, enlightened pastoral support and a rich co-curricular programme, we are equipping the next generation of leaders with the skills and experiences to shape the future, not just navigate it.
of students received A*- C at A-Level
of grades were awarded A*
of grades were awarded at Grade 9 at GCSE
Students from across the family of schools came together for a range of prestigious events, working in partnership with industry experts to deepen learning, build collaboration and expand their networks.
Students at Shakespeare’s Globe
87 junior pupils from 21 of our schools enjoyed an exclusive and specially devised programme at the world-renowned Shakespeare’s Globe in London. They enjoyed an unforgettable, action-packed day, helping them to connect with history and literature in dynamic ways, proving that Shakespeare is anything but old-fashioned.
Languages Festival at Bromley
The GDST Languages Festival at Bromley High School was bursting with energy and talent as over 180 students joined together to celebrate the vibrancy of language. Throughout the day, Year 7 to 9 pupils participated in a variety of activities to challenge and inspire, from spelling bee battles to mystery plays and multilingual quizzes. The festival is a brilliant showcase of our students’ confidence, ingenuity and enthusiasm.
Debating competition
The GDST Debating Competition hosted at South Hampstead High School welcomed over 100 Year 7 to Year 12 students from GDST and state partner schools. This national event stands out as an important platform for students to develop critical communication skills and appreciate the value of civil discourse. The short-preparation format deliberately challenged them to think quickly, listen actively and respond dynamically – providing students with the spaces and opportunities to express themselves freely, demonstrate conviction in their beliefs and opinions and develop intellectual rigour, even when under pressure.
Chrystall Carter speaking competition at Notting Hill & Ealing
The GDST Chrystall Carter Prize is a prestigious public speaking competition open to all Year 11 students from across the GDST schools, in honour of the former Legal Advisor who championed girls’ education and debate. Finalists delivered their 7-minute speeches on a full range of diverse, topical subjects from ‘Social media – a black hole?’ to ‘The paradox of perfectionism’, before being questioned by the audience.
The competition helps girls to speak with conviction and grow in confidence, equipping them with the skills they need to become leaders and changemakers of the future.
Wimbledon Bookfest
We were delighted for Wimbledon High to once again host the Wimbledon Bookfest, one of the UK’s leading literary festivals. In its most successful year yet, we saw an incredible line-up from Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Mishal Husain to Tim Peake, Zeinab Badawi and Elif Shafak. The event also welcomed Wimbledon High School alumnae Samira Ahmed, Camilla Morton and Rachel Wang as they chaired several events throughout the festival.
LEAD Final at LSE
Over 200 students from 22 of our schools gathered at the London School of Economics (LSE) for the LEAD Showcase. GDST LEAD is an innovative enterprise-led programme designed to empower young women with the creative and commercial skills necessary to become successful entrepreneurs. With the help of mentors from LSE, students are briefed to develop a business idea with positive social impact at its core, addressing current challenges connected to sustainability, female empowerment or inequality. The showcase provides the opportunity to explore some of the most important issues for girls and young women today. The products and services pitched to solve real-world problems included Croydon High’s Aid Essentials, creating care packages for homeless women and children, and South Hampstead High’s LDN Lock, a stylish phone tether that attaches to both your phone and wrist to prevent phone snatching.
The Entrepreneurial Innovator Award
Four incredible Year 12 students from Oxford High School won the Entrepreneurial Innovator Award at the prestigious Conrad Challenge Innovation Summit in Houston, USA – a global competition that attracted thousands of the brightest young minds from over 50 countries to tackle some of the planet’s most pressing challenges. The GDST team (who were the only European team to reach the final stage in the Aerospace and Aviation category), presented a game-changing solution to support sustainable lunar missions and future travel to Mars. They impressed judges from NASA, academia, and the space industry by tackling a challenge critical to the future of space exploration: how to extract, store and transport liquid oxygen and hydrogen on the Moon.
The annual GDST Sport Scholar’s Day was hosted by Sutton High School in partnership with the Mintridge Foundation. The event welcomed 250 sports scholars from across GDST schools for a day focused on the development of key skills through sport: discipline, adaptability, resilience and confidence. Students explored a wide range of sports, including football, swimming, gymnastics, cricket, archery, boxing and rugby. Professional athletes and alumnae led dynamic workshops, sharing tips, offering encouragement and answering students’ questions.
The GDST’s annual music-making event was hosted by Bromley High School, where an incredible 250 Year 4 – 6 pupils gathered to celebrate cross-school collaboration and self-expression through music.
The students attended vocal workshops with award-winning tenor Charles Béquignon-MacDougall and had a go at body percussion with Ollie Tumner, Director of Beat Goes On.
Junior Maths Conference
138 students from 23 GDST schools took part in our Junior Maths Conference at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford. The students spent the day learning about shapes, smoke rings, topology and mathematical magic.
Junior Robotics
11 teams from across the GDST schools enjoyed an unforgettable day as students put their robots to the test in the Junior Robotics competition. The day involved a packed schedule of creative challenges and collaborative problem-solving.
The GDST is committed to the wellbeing, growth and development of all our staff, ensuring our people thrive both personally and professionally. We invest in our people and champion respect and inclusivity, creating an environment to help everyone enjoy rewarding careers and lead purposeful lives. We cultivate a strong culture of innovation enriched by diverse perspectives and cutting-edge technology and pedagogy.
courses completed by staff
programmes, courses and conferences delivered over the academic year, totalling 488 sessions
staff engagement, measured by the all-staff survey
We were proud to launch Designing the Future of Girls’ Education, a GDST Insights Report and Framework, as part of our latest series of innovative research supporting the specific needs of girls in all learning environments. The education of girls was central to the founding of GDST schools over 150 years ago, and it remains at the heart of our modern-day mission. The report is an essential guide for parents, educators and students in helping girls realise their ambitions.
As a global voice on the design and delivery of world-class girls’ education, Designing the Future of Girls’ Education aims to enhance educational practices for all girls, worldwide and emphasises the importance of creating environments where girls can learn without limits.
Undivided Student Forum
At GDST, students are encouraged to lead change and share their ideas for a better, more inclusive world. At the Undivided Student Forum, student representatives in Years 7,8 and 9 from across the GDST school network put their heads together to discuss the important topic of diversity and inclusion. As diversity and inclusion ambassadors for their schools, the students who attended embody the very values of belonging and inclusion that we are committed to.
Undivided Student Survey
Our commitment to belonging and inclusion can be demonstrated in our latest Undivided Student Survey. The results continue to show very encouraging progress, with over 90% of GDST pupils saying they experience a meaningful sense of belonging and representation in their schools.
Junior Inclusion Forum
The Junior Inclusion Forum is a powerful example of how our fearless students are leading meaningful change across the GDST. 40 Year 5 and 6 pupils from across our schools came together at Trust Office to learn, connect and celebrate the richness of our diverse community.
Wimbledon hosts ICGS Symposium
Wimbledon High School hosted the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools (ICGS) UK Educating Girls Symposium. As founding partners of the Coalition, the GDST and Wimbledon High were delighted to welcome over 200 education leaders, teachers and advocates of girls’ education to celebrate the power of girls and girls’ schools.
GDST at the Bett Conference
Several colleagues from across the GDST attended and contributed to the annual British Educational Training and Technology (BETT) Conference, one of the largest EdTech conferences in the world.
GDST experts led panel discussions on the transformative potential of AI in education, ran sessions at the Google for Education stand on creating leadership opportunities for girls and promoted our Designing the Future of Girls’ Education insights report.
Improved GDST Learn
We launched GDST Learn, our brand-new learning platform designed to empower employees with the tools to take charge of their own professional development. The system will ensure that employees have the most relevant training options at their fingertips to make the most of every opportunity.
SLT Conference at Putney High School
The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) Conference brought together over 70 school leaders from across the Trust to explore how AI and technology can transform education for girls and young women. With thought-provoking discussions, hands-on workshops, and powerful keynotes, the conference reinforced the importance of a human-centred and gender-equal approach to digital transformation in education.
ICGS Conference
20 colleagues from across the GDST flew across the Atlantic to Philadelphia, the city of ‘sisterly’ love for the 2025 International Coalition of Girls’ Schools (ICGS) Conference. Joining over 600 educators from across the world, the team heard from an exciting range of speakers who explored girls’ leadership, fostering community and embracing the challenges of AI.
Throughout our history, we have been driven by our founding purpose to reach as many girls as possible and empower them to reach their full potential. We do this through our leading bursary and financial assistance programmes and by working in partnership with schools, alumnae and like-minded organisations to build meaningful connections within our local communities. In all that we do, we remain committed to keeping a GDST education accessible and academically excellent, providing the very best value-for-money.
students benefited from a GDST bursary
students received a bursary of 50% or more
bursary holders were also awarded a scholarship
Our supporters and donors are the backbone of our charitable purpose to reach as many girls as possible with a life-changing GDST education. This year, the GDST has raised £4.3million from 1,418 generous donors. Each gift, however big or small, is greatly appreciated and helps us continue to do this important work across the UK. We are very grateful for the generous support of the organisations, charitable trusts and foundations towards our bursaries and scholarships programme this year.
The Big Give
The GDST’s life changing bursary campaign was selected as a beneficiary of the Big Give – a nationwide charity that provides match funding in support of important causes. Through donations, we were able to raise £10,495 to help drive real change for women and girls in the UK.
To support our fundraising efforts, we co-ordinated a telephone campaign in July 2025. Six schools participated with the aim of securing regular gifts from their respective alumnae communities. The team of alumnae callers spent a fortnight speaking to over 700 fellow alumnae, having valuable conversations about their experiences at school and beyond, and securing £123,743 over a four-year period towards the bursary programme.
At the GDST, our network is our superpower – we know that we are at our best when we come together. We are in a unique position to leverage expertise, experience and support from our thriving community to deliver inspiring presentations and lead networking sessions for alumnae.
members in our alumnae network
GDST alumnae were recognised with an accolade on the King's New Year's Honours List
attendees were welcomed at 26 alumnae events throughout the year
Our annual Alumna of the Year Awards in November 2024 welcomed over 70 alumnae, staff, parents and donors to celebrate the extraordinary achievements made by GDST alumnae. Entrants are nominated by their community, and the winner is decided by public vote. Felicity Baker, Senior Journalist at the BBC and Wimbledon High School alumna was awarded Alumna of the Year whilst Maleha Khan, Portsmouth High School alumna and aerospace engineer, was voted Trailblazer of the Year.
The nation’s questions were answered at Northampton High School as they welcomed BBC Question Time. The panel featured MP Sir Chris Bryant, former Conservative Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries, MP Calum Miller, Baroness Hazarika, and journalist Liam Halligan. They were welcomed by a team of students, who had time to speak to them about their experiences and ask questions. The event was another example of how hosting events like this creates opportunities for students to meet and speak with experts from across different fields.
Being a GDST alumna offers endless opportunities. From mentoring to professional networking, self-development and social events, the network is a community unlike any other. In 2024-2025, we welcomed Nottingham Girls’ High School alumna and Financial Times journalist Isabel Berwick; Bromley High School alumna and West End actor Jane Quinn; and Nikki Alderson, Sheffield Girls’ alumna and former criminal barrister, to deliver inspiring presentations and lead networking sessions for alumnae, students and staff.
GDST schools named best value-for-money schools in the UK independent sector (The Telegraph Money League Table 2024)
Notting Hill & Ealing High School – Winners London Independent School of the Year 2024
Northwood College for Girls – Winners Independent School of the Year for Diversity, Equality, Inclusion & Justice 2024
Sydenham High School - Winners Senior Winner in Inclusive SEN Provision, Education Choice Awards 2025
Blackheath High School – Winners Joint Senior Winner for Enveloping EDI in the Curriculum, Education Choice Awards 2025
Streatham & Clapham High School – Winners Senior Winner in Developing Student Voice, Education Choice Awards 2025
Newcastle High School for Girls - Winners Outstanding Pastoral Care, Muddy Stilettos Best School Awards 2025
Norwich High Prep School and Notting Hill & Ealing High School - Winners The Week Independent Schools Guide 2025 Best Prep Schools
The Belvedere Academy - Winners Outstanding Secondary Practice Award, Youth Sport Trust Award 2025
The GDST is the largest group of girls’ schools in the UK with a global reputation for excellence, delivering a forward-thinking education that helps girls learn without limits so that they go on to lead lives without limits.
Our family of schools is widely recognised for their sector-leading expertise, progressive leadership and enduring influence across the educational landscape. The GDST has drawn on its scale, strength and deep-rooted values to navigate the current pressures of the independent school sector, continuing to offer academic excellence and world-class opportunities to thousands of girls across the country.
Our collective achievements, and those of our students, are made possible by the unwavering dedication of our colleagues across the GDST. I extend my sincere gratitude to each of them.
Vicky Tuck
Chair
Parents
Alumnae
Teachers
Supporters