WHY GIRLS AND THE GDST
THE GIRLS' DAY SCHOOL TRUST
We are proud to be part of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) – a family of 26 schools, including 24 independent schools and two academies, united in leading the way in girls’ education. Since its foundation in 1872, the GDST has been at the forefront of educational innovation, with a longstanding reputation for academic excellence, outstanding teaching, and a bold vision for empowering girls. Today, it is recognised globally as a leader in girls’ education.
DESIGNED FOR GIRLS
We place girls at the heart of everything we do. We design our curriculum, create our environment, shape our day and build our pastoral and co-curricular programmes to meet their needs.
The dynamic in a girls-only setting is different: there is strong evidence that girls are more likely to boldly take intellectual risks, adopt leadership roles, and be less inclined to conform to stereotypes. They are liberated to be their true selves, free from the shackles of gender expectation and without any limits placed on their aspirations or achievements.
WHERE GIRLS LEARN WITHOUT LIMITS
When girls leave Blackheath High School, they join the GDST alumnae network of more than 100,000 inspiring women; a community which spans the world and every professional sector, and offers young women endless opportunities – from mentoring, to professional networking, self-development and social events.
the gdst difference
The Girls’ Futures report, commissioned to celebrate the GDST’s 150th anniversary, discovered that girls from non-GDST schools experience a fall in confidence between the ages of 14 and 18. The doubts they feel and the challenges they experience limit their expectations of the world of work and how prepared they feel to tackle life after school, as well as their confidence in taking risks and in challenging gender stereotypes.
This highlights the transformative power of education that is designed for girls and prepares them to lead lives without limits in a world that is still far from equal.
leadership
Girls want to challenge traditional leadership models – 42% say they want to take on leadership roles, but aspire to success that is measured beyond salary, prestige or power, citing honesty, integrity and resilience as qualities leaders should possess. We provide girls with the environment, skills and opportunities to become the leaders they want to be.
confidence
Girls’ confidence dips from age 14, but this is more likely to be regained at GDST schools. 66% of GDST girls agree they are comfortable taking risks compared to 52% of non-GDST girls. We prepare girls to tackle and overcome the barriers they will face in an unequal society, and inspire them to build a better world for the future.
future ready
Only half of girls nationally feel prepared for the future (49%) – and while 24% of 9-year-olds believe school equips them for life beyond the classroom, that confidence drops to just 2% by age 18 nationally. Our PowerSkills Toolkit bridges the gap, equipping every girl with essential skills from communication, problem-solving and teamwork, to financial literacy and digital confidence.
the junior school effect
Aged 9, just 5% of GDST girls feel negatively about the future compared to 35% of girls nationally. They are also more comfortable talking to people with different views to their own – at 80% this is significantly higher than non-GDST girls at 48%.
Sixth Form
Aged 18, just 12% of GDST girls avoid certain subjects because of their gender, compared to 25% of girls nationally. More than 47% of GDST students took at least one science subject, and 39% took mathematics at A-level.
WHERE NEXT?
