Sydenham High School leads the way with pioneering future-focused education
At the start of Women's History Month, Sydenham High School GDST hosted its annual Futures Conference to empower over one hundred Year 12 girls with the essential toolkit of skills to be truly future-ready.
On Friday, 6 March, Sydenham High School GDST hosted its second annual Futures Conference, welcoming over 100 Sixth Form students from across the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) and local partner schools for a high-impact day of career enrichment, industry insights, and networking.
The conference is a cornerstone of Sydenham High’s commitment to ensuring students enter the professional world with the resilience and confidence required to navigate a rapidly shifting job market. This year’s event featured five powerhouse speakers, ranging from tech innovators to legal experts, all focused on one goal: empowering young women to lead.
The morning opened with a keynote from Professor Funke Abimbola MBE, an award-winning General Counsel and leading voice on diversity and responsible AI. She shared her personal journey, urging students to remain "unapologetically themselves" while providing her Top 5 Tips for Success:
- Focus on your goals
- Play to your strengths
- Commit to lifelong learning
- Support others
- Always bounce back from setbacks
'Funke Abimbola has become my new role model,' shared one Year 12 student.
'Her talk really motivated me to follow my dreams, despite any challenges.'
Cheryl Giovannoni, CEO of the GDST, followed with a masterclass on the modern workplace. Addressing the gender gap in professional confidence, she highlighted that women often wait to meet every criteria before applying for roles, while men do not. Her advice was a call to action: 'Don’t always look before you leap.' She encouraged students to leverage the GDST’s global alumnae network of over 100,000 women to build their professional communities.
The afternoon shifted into interactive workshops designed to translate inspiration into practical strategies and action:
Jacynth Bassett, Sydenham High alumna and CEO of Ageism Is Never In Style, discussed entrepreneurship and disruption, emphasising the importance of "showing up" and full-time dedication. She focused on "being keen" and making connections, with the delegates ending the session with a networking round-robin.
Camilla Carson, Board Advisor with 20 years of experience in high-growth startups, led a session on tech innovation and strategic communication. She highlighted the importance of "asking for more", through clearly quantifying your value and confidently expressing what you can bring. Her mantra, “The worst they can say is ‘not yet’,” resonated with students looking to build their confidence in male-dominated sectors. The girls enjoyed role playing scenarios to test out their newly acquired negotiation skills!
Raj Sidhu, University of Cambridge Careers Consultant, closed the day by providing a structured framework for career strategy, helping students turn the day’s inspirations into concrete, long-term plans. He shared valuable statistics on the job market through a quiz, and gave the girls hints and tips on university admissions and how to optimise their LinkedIn profiles.
The atmosphere throughout the day was one of vibrant ambition. Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with 100% of students reporting they feel significantly more prepared to tackle their next steps.
'One thing I will remember is the breadth of opportunity available to those who seek it.' said one Year 12 student, whilst another noted,
'It was great to hear from so many inspirational women and professionals who are passionate about what they do'.
'At Sydenham High, we want our girls to be bold, curious, and fearless,' the school's Head of Futures said. '
By staying resilient and adaptable, our students aren't just preparing for the future; they are ready to lead it.'
March 2026