GDST in the news – Winter 2017

It’s been a busy few months for the GDST and our schools in the media.

Our Chief Executive, Cheryl Giovannoni, was profiled in TES (subscription needed), talking about how education is key for tackling workplace gender inequality. The interview was also picked up by the Telegraph and the Independent.

Cheryl was also named as one of the most influential people in London education in the Evening Standard’s Power 1000. And she was interviewed by the Telegraph, saying ‘Let’s celebrate women not fret about what we should call them’.

Cheryl also wrote for Grant Thornton on ‘Shaping the future for female leaders’.

Notting Hill & Ealing High School Junior School was named Independent Preparatory School of the Year in the Sunday Times Parent Power List.

Six GDST schools were nominated for TES Independent School Awards.

Four GDST schools were listed in Tatler’s 2018 Schools Guide and Jane Lunnon, Head of Wimbledon High School, was runner-up for Best Head of a Public School in the Tatler School Awards.

The FT advocated the GDST as providing value for money schools in ‘Ten ways to cut the cost of private education’.

Dr Kevin Stannard was interviewed for an article in The Spectator on mobile phones and ‘digital detoxing’ (Off Days: is using a mobile phone at school that bad?). He also continues to write a weekly blog for TES.

Good Morning Britain discussed a blog by Wimbledon High School’s Deputy Head Fionnuala Kennedy, which was also covered in the Evening Standard.

The Times and the Sunday Times covered Jane Lunnon’s critique of A Level reforms and her view on how the toughest exams penalise brightest (links behind paywall).

On a similar theme, The Times quoted Vicky Bingham, Head of South Hampstead High School, in ‘Exams ‘unfair’ for arts pupils’ (link behind paywall).

Jane Prescott, Head of Portsmouth High School, blogged for the Telegraph on how all-male university challenge teams show how far female equality still has to go.

‘From princess to superhero at Northwood College for Girls’ quoted the Head, Jacqualyn Pain, and the Head of Juniors, Zara Hubble.

‘Tutoring prevents pupils working out own problems for themselves, warns top London Head Teacher’ – the Evening Standard reported the views of Vicky Bingham. It generated a response from Quillette.com in defence of private tuition.

The GDST’s Positive Schools Programme was covered extensively. It was featured in the Evening Standard and the Times; The Debrief discussed it in ‘Why social media is a double-edged sword’; while data from the programme led TES to consider why Thursday is the worst day of the week for teachers; Independent Education Today wrote about Putney High School’s partnership with The Positive Group; and The Positive Group’s Dr Brian Marien wrote about his work with the GDST in Education Executive ‘Psychological interventions to improve teacher retention’.

Fake news was also featured. The Sunday Times mentioned how GDST girls are being taught how to spot fake news.

Jane Lunnon and her sister (and fellow headmistress) Jenny Brown discussed their Relative Values in The Sunday Times Magazine.

Newcastle High School for Girls’ NEW (North East Women) conference featured in The Newcastle Chronicle.

Independent Education Today published ‘A call to armbands’ by the Head of Northampton High School, Dr Helen Stringer, on the importance of children learning to swim.

Suzie Longstaff, Head of Putney High School, blogged for HuffPost UK on how technology can be a force for good in the classroom. And Jane Prescott wrote to The Times on banning mobile phones in schools.

Meanwhile,  Fionnuala Kennedy described how pupils at Wimbledon High are embracing the Joy of Missing Out (JOMO).

Suzie Longstaff blogged about developing intellectual curiosity to help them to learn the skills to question and challenge.

Writing for We are The City, Kirsty von Malaisé, Head of Norwich High School, asked ‘Is it a good time to be a young woman?’

Joana Baptista, a Sixth Former at Oxford High School, won the ‘Women of the Future’ Young Star award.

Sally Davis, Principal of Howell’s School, and Dr Helen Stringer were both quoted in ‘Freedom of assembly’ in Independent Education Today.

Yvonne Williams, Portsmouth High School’s Head of English and Drama, wrote to the Sunday Times about the value of a balanced education.

And finally, Julie Keller, Head of Nottingham Girls’ High School, wrote for a review of the year for Independent Education Today.