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LEAD Showcase March 2025
How do we ensure our students are ready for the future? Equipping young women with the skills they need to become leaders and entrepreneurs is at the core of LEAD (Leadership Enterprise Advanced Diploma), an innovative partnership between the GDST and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
At the end of March 2025 over 200 students from 22 GDST schools gathered at LSE for the LEAD Showcase. With the help of mentors from LSE in the preceding months, students come up with a business idea that has a positive social impact, addressing problems connected to sustainability, female empowerment or inequality. They then work on developing it and on the day, pitch it ‘Dragons Den’ style.
Inspirational ideas from the students
The fearlessness and confidence of our students was incredibly inspiring as they presented their ideas in front of peers and judges, pushing themselves out of their comfort zones. The showcase provided insight into some of the most important issues for girls and young women today, from sustainability to supporting those in need in the local community.
The products and services pitched to solve real-world problems included Croydon High’s Aid Essentials, creating care packages for homeless women and children, using funds from fair sales and South Hampstead High’s LDN Lock, a stylish phone tether that attaches to both your phone and wrist to prevent phone snatching.
LEAD students impress the judges
The judges were particularly impressed with Brighton Girls’ Sonder Spices whose business sells spice mixes to parents/teachers in order to raise money and awareness for asylum seekers and refugees in need. This group was chosen in the words of GDST judge Cathy Walter, Assistant Director of Education at GDST, for their “powerful human-centred values”. Cathy also had this to say: “The team’s storytelling approach brought their idea to life, showcasing how they plan to highlight the narratives of local refugees through beautifully packaged spices, each linked to a QR code that connects to their stories…It was their passion and commitment to making a difference in our divided society that truly stood out.”
She continued, “It was so so heartening to hear these themes run through all of the innovative ideas of these young entrepreneurs. The future is bright.”
'Sonder Spices', Brighton Girls'.
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'Atomic Reading', Northampton High School
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'Style Swap', Putney High School
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'Thrive for 5', South Hampstead High School
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'Student Sphere', Northwood College for Girls
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Best financial performance -'Sheffield Artists', Sheffield Girls'
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Most sustainability focused - 'Foliage', Sutton High School
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Best market research - 'Grainaissance', Portsmouth High School
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Best marketing - 'LDNLock', South Hampstead High School
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LEAD prizes and winners
The annual People’s Choice prize, voted for by the audience, was hotly contested but won by Nottingham High’s Pages with Power, an easy-read story to teach young children the importance of sustainability goals through a creative adventure.
Keynote speaker LJ Silverman, Head of LSE Generate, commended the students for their innovative and ethical business concepts and encouraged each young woman to keep striving to create positive change in their future careers. She spoke about her own career from setting up a recruitment agency over 15 years ago to eventually heading up the entrepreneurial arm of LSE.
Nottingham High’s Sirensense won the ‘best teamwork’ prize, an internship experience with construction and property consultancy business Gleeds. Here they will have the opportunity to work on a project that brings together STEM, design, marketing and communications, finance, business and more. The ‘most innovative idea’ Howell’s School’s Smell Smart and ‘most socially impactful’ Brighton Girls’ Sonder Spices will have the opportunity to undertake work experience at LSE.
Congratulations to all of the truly inspirational budding female entrepreneurs who took part in this year’s LEAD programme. Programmes such as LEAD highlight our commitment to delivering an outstanding education, providing girls and young women with opportunities where they can learn the vital skills and attributes to become the leaders and changemakers of the future.
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The GDST LEAD Programme
Inaugurated in 2021, the GDST LEAD (Leadership Enterprise Advanced Diploma) programme equips young women with the skills they need to become future leaders and changemakers. Elements of the programme are provided in partnership with LSE Generate, the entrepreneurial arm of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
