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GDST Senior Leadership Team Conference 2025
“I keep reading and hearing that AI will completely change education. What if our education system does require a radical rethink, but not in the way that edtech boosters and tech bros think?” This was the challenge set out by Rachel Evans, Interim Director of Digital Transformation during the keynote speech at the GDST’s annual Senior Leadership Team conference at Putney High School last week.
The conference provided the opportunity for colleagues from our 26 schools to connect, share insights and build relationships. This year’s theme ‘Leading the Narrative: Stories of Redefining Technology in Education’ centred on what the future of education looks like in an increasingly digital world. It explored how we as educators can use these tools to transform education for girls and young women, ensuring that their voices are front and centre in this critical conversation.
“The risks and harms of a particular kind of tech – gen AI – and a particular kind of platform – social media – are real and dominate the discourse,” said Rachel Evans. However, focusing on “the depth of human connection, the living, breathing humans, embodied beings with personalities, funny quirks, loves and hates” would, she detailed, be at the heart of the next phase of GDST’s digital strategy.
Empowering Girls Through Technology
The technology we use is often also shaped by gender bias. With this in mind, our aim as global leaders in girls’ education is to think differently about how we incorporate digital tools into education, specifically for girls. This includes how we structure our curriculum, and how we integrate emerging technology.
”Never has our need to draw on the pioneering spirit of our founders been more pressing.”
As our Chief Executive, Cheryl Giovannoni expressed in her strategy update at the conference, ”Never has our need to draw on the pioneering spirit of our founders been more pressing. How can technology help shape the future of the GDST? The world today is not static, and we will continue to evolve, be agile and – perhaps most importantly – continue to lead the way.”
Over the two days, GDST colleagues took part in thought-provoking discussions and hands-on workshops, reinforcing the importance of a gender-equal approach to digital transformation in education.
Highlights included a keynote discussion from Dr Eleanor Drage and Dr Kerry McInerney, authors of The Good Robot and hosts of the podcast of the same name. They challenged attendees to consider the biases embedded in technology and how we can use AI to empower students rather than perpetuate inequalities and limit opportunities.
”We want our students to understand the vast potential of AI while recognising its limitations and appreciating the continued value of human connections.”
The power of the network was certainly evident in delegate feedback. Reflecting on the event, Cathy Darnton, Deputy Principal at Howell’s School, shared: “It’s essential that we stay on our EdTech journey without being swayed by passing trends. We want our students to understand the vast potential of AI while recognising its limitations and appreciating the continued value of human connections. This conference was a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with colleagues across our schools and Trust Office, strengthening relationships and sharing valuable insights. By learning from each other, we continue to enhance best practice across the GDST”.
Looking Ahead in a rapidly changing world.
As school leaders return to their communities, the next step is to bring these insights to life and share learnings with colleagues considering how we can integrate technology in ways that truly benefit students. The conference reinforced a key message: while AI and digital tools are evolving rapidly, the core of education remains unchanged and fosters curiosity, confidence, and agency.
About the Girls’ Day School Trust
The Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) is the leading network of girls’ schools across England and Wales. The GDST are specialists in girls’ education, tailoring our teaching to the way girls learn best and delivering innovative learning for girls aged three to eighteen.
