Female role models inspire Stopsley High School students ahead of GCSEs
Stopsley High School has hosted an event to help Year 11 female students approach their GCSE exams and the next stage of their education with confidence and ambition.
In a first for the school, part of The Middlesex Learning Trust and located on St Thomas' Road, Luton, Year 11 female students participated in a conference-style session featuring inspirational women who shared their journeys and the lessons learnt along the way. The event was organised by Deputy Headteacher Sophie Bailey to reinforce the students’ academic potential and highlight the value of confidence, resilience and self-belief.
The panel included Nerima Wandera, Executive Inclusiveness Leader at global professional services company EY, Sabrina Luisi, Chief Engagement Officer at university access charity The Brilliant Club and Sarah Owen, the MP for Luton North.
Each speaker shared candid stories about their personal journeys and discussed the challenges and defining moments that shaped their futures. They also encouraged the students to challenge self-doubt and reject the belief that it is easier not to try because of a fear of failure.
Nerima Wandera spoke about the hurdles she overcame when she moved from Mombasa, Kenya, to Luton in her teens, including proving her academic prowess in a different educational system. She talked about taking time to pivot and adapt, which led to her senior role at EY, and the significant role resilience has played in her career. Sabrina Luisi shared how she learnt empathy and understanding from her grandparents, who raised her, and how this led her to value the gift of education. She talked about the importance of setting micro goals and taking small, incremental steps towards your goal.
MP Sarah Owen described her path into politics and what it took to become a Member of Parliament. She said she grew from a quiet student to a confident one when she found her voice playing cricket in school. She encouraged students to aim high, never take no for an answer, and never let others set limits on what they can achieve.
Stopsley High School Headteacher Karen Hand and Deputy Headteacher Sophie Bailey also took to the stage to share personal stories. They spoke about the people and pivotal experiences that shaped their lives so that students could see beyond their titles.
The students said the event helped them feel more confident about their futures. It encouraged them to take action by submitting outstanding applications or changing courses, because they decided to act on their aspirations. One Year 11 girl said it had boosted her confidence to speak up and reminded her that "anything is possible if I put my mind to it."
Another student particularly enjoyed hearing her teachers’ stories. She said the session had made her think differently about her future and reminded her that everyone has a story and faces challenges.
A third student added that the event was unlike anything she had experienced at school and had motivated her to achieve as well as she could.
Karen Hand, Headteacher at Stopsley High School, said: “Being successful means having the courage to break the mould. After hearing from all of the speakers, I'm confident our students now understand that their greatest power is refusing to let others define their limits. The world needs more successful women and deserves to experience our students’ unique brand of brilliance.”
Deputy Headteacher at Stopsley High School, Sophie Bailey, said: “I created this event to ensure that our female Year 11 students believed in themselves, as much as we believed in them. It was an honour to present with these brilliant women and sharing my story with our students was especially meaningful. As Deputy Head, the students know me as 'Miss Bailey,' but today, they heard about 'Sophie' for the first time and my own personal experience including the hurdles I had to overcome to lead me to the role I am in, and the person I am today.
“We hope this event gives the girls that final boost of confidence and self-belief as they enter one of the most important stages of their school journey. We believe in them, but it’s more important that they believe in themselves.”
Stopsley High School is a co-educational secondary school located in the Stopsley area of Luton. It is part of The Middlesex Learning Trust, which currently comprises of three large mixed secondary schools: Stopsley High School in Luton, Southgate School in Enfield and The Compton School in Barnet.
Stopsley High School is a modern, aspirational school that believes in the importance of unlocking each student’s potential. It achieves this by ensuring every student has the opportunity to grow and develop both inside and outside of the classroom. Through a strong academic curriculum, high quality teaching and our contemporary facilities and resources, students are encouraged to aim high and dream big, developing strong aspirations and a lasting love of learning.
For more information, visit: https://www.middlesexlearningtrust.org.uk/