As I sit and write this blog, the sun is shining, the daffodils and blossom are out and the temperature feels balmy and pleasant. I feel an enormous sense of wellbeing, albeit somewhat tired after a long and busy term. I am sure many of the students feel the same way. The longer days bring an air of positivity to all. There have been so many exciting events recently: from fantastic sports matches to fabulous concerts; innovative drama pieces to enthralling school trips; success in competitions and the awarding of colours; and the election of the new GLG to the CCF AGI, it has been a busy term. There have been so many opportunities for our students to find their passions and they have risen to the opportunities. 

They do this on top of the wonderful learning that takes place each and every day: I have seen students give presentations in pecha kucha style in computer science; Sixth Formers intellectually struggling through challenging science and maths problems by collaborating on their responses by writing on their desks (certainly not something encouraged at school in my day!); I have observed students work creatively together using their ipads to design theatre sets and costumes; whilst others have shown their high level thinking analysing poetry in socratic circles. It has been wonderful to see students excitedly playing games confidently using their newfound language skills in Spanish; and our youngest students thriving in their enquiry based learning in the IB PYP creating non-chronological accounts. I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing how emphatically our students throw themselves into their learning; they are happy to share their ideas with me, even trying to explain the most complicated scientific theories to a historian! They are an absolute credit to the school and, of course, to their families. 

However, a recent survey undertaken by the University of Manchester found that girls are feeling more pressure to be a “perfect teenager” than their male counterparts. It also reported they get less sleep and exercise than boys. Girls were also more likely to use social media spending an average of 4.8 hours a day online. Although it can be a source of support for girls, it can lead to greater pressure on them in areas such as body confidence. It saddens me that our young women are putting so much pressure on themselves; clearly from all I have seen this past term both in their lessons and co-curricular activities, our students have so much going for them. It is important that they realise they are all unique individuals who have a lot to offer in their own ways and that here at BGS they can discover and celebrate their passions and interests in a safe environment. They need to understand that no-one is perfect; we all make mistakes and that this is how we learn and grow. As educators and parents, we have a responsibility to support them as they learn to see their value and embrace their individualism. Speaking with the outgoing GLG and other Sixth Form students who have delivered sessions on gender inequality and LBGTQ+ awareness, I can see what confident young adults they grow into. They know their own minds and are ready to tackle the challenges they may face. 

I also took to heart from this survey the importance of sleep, particularly as we come to the end of a frenetic term. I know that some of our older students will be revising for examinations over the holidays, but I hope that everyone ensures they have some relaxation and plenty of sleep over the break. I think this quote from Homer’s The Odyssey is an apt way to end the Spring Term “There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.” 

This week, Mrs Axford (Assistant Head) guest writes on the Headmistress blog about the word ‘flourish’ and what it actually means when you hear this all-encompassing word.

Recently, I was drawn to a post on the Independent Schools Council website about what it means to ‘flourish’. I have always loved the word ‘flourish’ because to me it is a real ‘doing’ word.  We often talk about children reaching their potential. The flourishing part is the bit along the way, where the growth is happening, and one can see the smile and sparkle in the process.

The Human Flourishing Programme at Harvard has developed a way to measure human flourishing. VanderWeele 2017 defines flourishing as ‘complete human wellbeing’ based around five themes: happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, and close social relationships. 

It is our role at BGS to help your daughters to flourish. Participation in co-curricular activities plays such an important part in facilitating the ‘flourishing process’.  Involvement in music, community volunteering, in drama events, sporting endeavours, dancing, debating and so on may not seem as key to a student’s development as a maths exam or an English essay. But co-curricular activities provide snapshots in time, where you can see students actively growing, developing the soft skills so vital to young adults fulfilling the five central themes stated by Vanderweele above. 

As Assistant Head of Co-curricular and Experiential Learning, I see a plethora of ‘flourishing moments’, whether it is cadets leading their teams at CCF, students preparing for drama productions or music concerts, or students volunteering in local primary schools.

On International Women’s Day last week, I was saddened, although not surprised, to read that the charity ‘Women in Sport’ has found that over 43% of girls who self-describe as ‘sporty’ lose interest in exercise after they leave primary school, with 68% saying that a fear of being judged stopped them from joining in.  A lack of self-belief and body image concerns were also cited among reasons putting teenage girls off sport.  

It made me reflect on my experience very early in my career when I started a new job as Head of Girls’ PE at an 11-16 co-educational state school. In my first week, a couple of things really hit home. I noticed at lunchtime the fields and courts were exclusively dominated by boys. And quite staggeringly, only three of my GCSE PE classes of sixty students were girls.  

In these two contexts, girls had been pushed to the periphery of the physical space, and were marginalised in a GCSE subject which should be for all.  To address this, we decided to introduce single sex PE lessons, and to offer sporting clubs for girls before school, at lunchtimes and after school.  Gradually, over two years, the girls’ physical literacy developed, and they began to have self- belief in their own ability.  They loved being part of teams, and making new friends, and the girls began to realise that sport and physical activity was fun, and was for them.

Because they had grown in confidence and because many more girls were taking part, they were less worried about being judged by others.  Quite simply the girls had begun to “flourish” in the physical domain. Within two years, the GCSE PE intake moved to a 50:50 split between girls and boys. 

It was a simple recipe, and it worked. Today, twenty years on, the landscape and challenges have changed.  The impact of social media and of the pandemic on activity levels for many should not be understated.  However, I firmly believe here at BGS that the single sex environment allows students the space to flourish not only in sport, but across a full range of diverse and stimulating co-curricular clubs and activities.  I scrolled through the sports section of a broadsheet this weekend, and was exasperated to find that 17 out of 18 pages were devoted to men and boys. Role models matter. I consoled myself with the thought that the girls at BGS can reference outstanding role models from within the student community. The new Girls’ Leadership Group (GLG) and their prefect teams announced this week are testament to this. “Complete human wellbeing” – the type of flourishing described by VanderWeele – may sound an unreachable goal, but co-curricular activities provide concrete ways to work on the five themes he lays out: building happiness, health and a sense of purpose, and nurturing relationships that will last a lifetime. May BGS flourish.

In this week’s blog, BGS Headmistress, Mrs Gibson, reflects on the horrific international crisis in Ukraine.

I am sure we have all been horrified by what we have seen and heard in the news about Ukraine over this past week. The images of families being split apart, and ordinary citizens having to take on military roles they never expected to do is devastating. Even as adults, we can hardly imagine the anguish the Ukrainian people must be suffering at the moment, for their normal lives being torn apart. For our children, it is even more unsettling; they do not always fully understand the context of situations, the images they are seeing are frightening and having finally started to see light at the end of the tunnel with the pandemic, once again the world seems like a dangerous and unpredictable place. As parents and educators, we want to support our young people to understand the complexities of our world, but without paralysing them with anxiety. 

Often in situations such as this, we feel powerless and hopeless in the face of such human suffering and adversity. It makes us realise just how fragile peace is. I read a political cartoon recently that said “Those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it. Yet those who do study history are doomed to stand by helplessly whilst everyone else repeats it”. And that feels never more true than when situations of crisis occur like war and a worldwide pandemic. As a historian and a teacher, I know that the purpose of education is to ensure we stop making the mistakes of the past; that in the words of the IB, we educate for a more peaceful world…only by educating differently will we stop making these mistakes.         

Across the school, class teachers and form tutors have been educating the students on what is happening in the Ukraine. Our teachers are there to support our students, particularly those who have links with that part of the world. In a world of media bombardment, being able to see the salient points amongst the rumours and sensationalism is paramount.  A key role for our teachers is to help students  understand where to get information from and that by using trusted sources, they can help stop the spread of misinformation. Through our IB PYP programme in the Junior School and our humanities teaching in the Senior School, we educate our students to be able to distinguish the truth from propaganda. We will continue to support them here in school with any questions or concerns they may have.

I know all of us in our community, students, staff and parents, will be concerned about the humanitarian crisis war brings. And I am sure many of us are struggling with how to help our fellow humans at this time of need. First and foremost, we can keep the people of Ukraine in our thoughts and hope for the resumption of peace soon.  There are also a whole host of other things individuals can do to support such as: writing to local MPs; getting involved with your local community or place of worship’s efforts; looking to support through donating goods or money to established charities such as the Red Cross, UNICEF and UNHCR; or contributing to the local effort to support refugees here in the UK through charities such as BRASS in Bedford (whom we support annually).

As our world becomes ever more connected, we feel, even more greatly, the pain of this conflict, and others around the world such as in Myanmar, South Sudan, Yemen and sadly many more. We hope through our IB philosophy and our programme of working with our established charities here at BGS that our students build resilience, gain the ability to question and seek the truth, learn the skills of adaptability and creative thinking and develop empathy and compassion, so they can cope with the chaos and volatility of the world around us

As usual I will finish with a quote; this one, from Helen Keller, I know will really resonate with our global minded community: I look upon the whole world as my fatherland, and every war has to me the horror of a family feud.

This week, Mrs Woolley (Director of Sixth Form) guest writes on the Headmistress blog about the upcoming Girls’ Leadership Group (GLG) election process. 

Over the half term I had a little time to continue reading a book I had started over Christmas: Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek. He makes a really interesting assertion regarding our best days at work. Surprisingly, perhaps, when asked about this very few people recount a time when everything fell into place and went smoothly. For most people, warmer feelings are felt when everything seemed to go wrong, and they had to work as a team to find a solution. It is not the hardship itself that is enjoyed, but rather the sense of camaraderie that is remembered with fondness, having been fostered by the sharing of such experiences. As a Scientist, it is particularly fascinating that the oxytocin our bodies release during times of struggle can allow individuals within a team to grow biologically closer. I can certainly say this resonates with me and the teams I have worked with over the past two years of lockdowns, cancelled examinations, school closures, online learning and supporting students as they navigate these challenges.

It has been particularly timely to read Sinek’s book at this point in the academic year, as the second half of the Spring Term in Sixth Form brings with it the annual Girls’ Leadership Group (GLG) election process, when our Lower Sixth students have the opportunity to apply for roles on the Leadership and Prefect teams: application forms are completed; a vote of confidence from Sixth Form students and staff takes place; and then students are shortlisted for interview. Whilst not all will be successful, the chance to prepare for the application and interview process is a really sharp learning curve for the students, and one which takes all of them out of their comfort zone. Whatever the outcome, there is a real sense of fellowship and achievement amongst the candidates who put themselves forward: particularly for our Head Girl applicants, as in addition to an interview, they will also write a blog and make a speech. Their willingness to engage and the time they take to prepare and craft their speeches never fails to impress me; it is testament to the empowered, ambitious and brave students we nurture at BGS.

On 13^th March the new GLG and Prefect Team will be announced, and with new roles of a Junior School Captain, Diversity and Inclusion Captain and Sustainability Captain this year, there are plenty of opportunities for our students to develop leadership skills, manage teams, contribute to the wider BGS community and leave their mark.

In the run up to the application process I have spoken to the students about leadership and in doing so, have addressed the misconception that leaders are not always the loudest and most forceful individuals, and reinforced that empathy, communication, vision, integrity and positivity are far more important traits.  The successful candidates will attend a leadership strategy day where they will work with experienced Alumnae to explore the question of leadership and teamwork. They will look at building strength in collaboration and how to bring a community together to work towards a common goal.

There will of course be challenges along the way. Managing their workload, co-curricular activities, social life and, in some cases, a part time job alongside their additional leadership responsibilities can be a tricky balance and there will be some invaluable lessons to learn. However, I am sure our students will rise to the upcoming challenges as they develop so many new skills.

Our outgoing GLG have certainly embodied being bold, imaginative and reflective over the past year and will undoubtedly be able to apply what they have learnt to the next stage of their lives. I hope they have found that it is the camaraderie of shared experience, working together in the face of sometimes difficult odds and taking the opportunity to lift each other up, that has provided fulfilment, learning and wonderful memories.

The musical, Oliver, was always a favourite of mine growing up and it was a great privilege for me during my early years of teaching to put on a performance of it with a large group of Year 7 students. I will always remember the haunting version of Who Will Buy where one student in particular suddenly came out of their shell with an exquisite angelic voice. However, it was the rousing rendition of Consider Yourself that will forever hold a place in my heart. For you see, we had become a big family by the point the show was put on and the words resonated with us all.

It is events like this, drama productions, music concerts, school trips and sporting events, where students and teachers work hard together, outside of the usual classroom experience, where strong bonds are made through camaraderie. We have so many opportunities like this at BGS, with over 50 co-curricular clubs per week, a myriad of performance opportunities and countless fixtures over the year. Our students relish the opportunity to try out new things, to find their passions and to work as part of a team; all essential skills for life, but more importantly, great fun!  

We are at the time of year where our Year 6s are beginning to think about their transition to the Senior School and it has been a great pleasure for me to get to know them better. They have so many interests from sport to music, to baking and travelling, to drama and art, whilst many have the common BGS trait of being an animal lover! However, what was clear is that although they are obviously very excited about their move up, there is also some trepidation. This is completely normal. However, we find that students in Year 7 (and in our other year groups) usually settle very quickly, with the support of our outstanding pastoral team and through getting involved in clubs, activities and teams, which are great ways of making new friends. In particular, in Year 7 the students participate in the House Pantomime competition, with the Year 12s directing. The teamwork across both year groups cements the students’ feelings of belonging, and it is always such raucous fun. 

I can’t believe that I have only been at BGS for 18 months myself; I have been so truly welcomed by the community, even more impressive considering I couldn’t meet many people in person for the first year. I love how our community nurtures one another, how we find the joy in what we do in the classroom and how we celebrate each other’s achievements. It truly is a wonderful environment for students and staff alike. And I feel sure that any students who might be joining us in the future will soon recognise the feeling epitomised in these words:

“Consider yourself at home

Consider yourself one of the family

We’ve taken to you so strong

It’s clear we’re going to get along” 

With our strong results and high university acceptances rates, it is clear that our forward-looking approach to education is already providing well for our students. Nevertheless, our strategy must continue evolving so we stay at the forefront of educational philosophy. 

We have now firmly entered the “Information Age” with the production of information growing exponentially. We know that in the modern workplace, it is essential that everyone has excellent technological skills. BGS students are all “digital natives”, but it is their digital fluency coupled with their ability to be creative that will set them apart from their peers. Back in 2006, an IBM paper entitled The Toxic Terabyte, predicted that knowledge would double every 12 hours in the near future. With such a huge amount of information available it is crucial we nurture our students’ imaginations. We don’t want our students to only learn what is necessary to pass examinations. We want them to be curious, to come up with new ideas and to question what has gone before; we really aspire for our students to be the creative-thinkers and the change-makers of the future, and that starts with their journey here. 

Many of our students will work in jobs that have yet to be conceived, and have multiple careers in their lifetimes. They will need the agility to work globally, understanding different cultures, languages, political systems, economies and business etiquettes. It is an exciting time to be part of the education system, but it is incumbent upon us as school leaders, through our curriculum development, to make sure that our students are equipped to succeed in these nascent job opportunities across the globe. 

At BGS, we have always believed that central to success is the promotion of creativity in education; we value it so greatly that being Imaginative is one of our key values.  The writer Tham Khai Meng agrees and recently stated in the Guardian “Creativity is the most powerful competitive advantage a business can have. Companies need to fizz with new ideas and fresh thinking. But there’s a problem – there just aren’t enough fizzy people around.”  Our students are given a myriad of opportunities to develop their originality and expressiveness through all aspects of the curriculum; whether that is in the drama and dance studio, art room, a maths lesson or in the science labs, using their imagination and thinking creatively to look beyond the content builds connections, extends their knowledge, embeds concepts and helps them find innovative solutions.   

The thinker and writer Edward de Bono wrote “There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns.” The world is facing monumental issues from COVID, to climate change, to the Black Lives Matter Movement and the continued issues around gender inequality. If we are to change our future for the better, new ways of creative thinking are definitely in order and I have no doubt that BGS students will be part of finding the solutions.

This week, Mrs Hooley (Assistant Head) guest writes on the Headmistress blog about adaptive and innovative technology in education and how it has many benefits for a personalised learning experience.  

This month, the examining board AQA announced that it would be trialling a series of online examination papers for both A Level and GCSE subjects. These are not substitutes for the traditional written papers taken in the Summer but a pilot scheme completed alongside the physical papers to review the use of technology within national qualifications. 100 schools are undertaking papers, which will adapt to student progress and become increasingly more challenging as questions are answered correctly. They will also use elements of artificial intelligence to mark the responses. The Chief Executive of AQA, Colin Hughes, stated that it was ‘only a matter of time’ before online assessments become a reality and that they would ‘help prepare students for future learning and work settings’. It will be fascinating to review their findings and consider the further application of these methods in the future.

It was encouraging to see an examination board outwardly recognising the need to review their approach to using technology to enhance the process for both candidates and examiners. Examining bodies cannot always be as agile as they may wish due to the requirements from JCQ, Ofqual and the Department for Education, so this forward-thinking approach is certainly a pause for thought.

Our approach to using technology for learning at Bedford Girls’ School has always been future focused. We want to ensure our students are ahead of their contemporaries in their use of technology as a flexible and adaptable tool to support outcomes. We want our students to be at the forefront of innovation and stand above other school leavers and graduates when they compete in the job market; to have both the technological confidence and skills that employers will demand. Along with the use of iPads, apps, coded robotics, augmented reality modelling and virtual reality video tours, we have also invested in Adaptive Learning technology. Students in Years 10 and 11 have access to Seneca Learning Platform to trial the effectiveness of personalised revision tools and homework tasks. The application enables students to review work, revise topics and undertake tests to check their knowledge, which becomes progressively more challenging as their answers are correct or tests them in another way on a question they may have answered incorrectly. Teachers can review the responses, look at the data and check the students’ knowledge and understanding. It is an excellent way to encourage active revision for their GCSEs, as well as trialling and gaining experience in the technology, which they will be expected to use in the future.

As educators, we know that a combination of approaches to teaching and learning is essential, combining the use of technology with a variety of other methods provides the best outcomes for our students. Whilst it is perhaps challenging to consider how technology would be adequate substitute for the expertise of professional examiners, particularly in subjects such as English, Philosophy, History and Art, it is vital for our students to consistently become fluent in the skills which reflect their future environments.

This week, Ms Teale (Deputy Head Pastoral) guest writes on the Headmistress blog about the culture of kindness at BGS and how this helps students develop behaviours that add life-long value.  

You might just as well ask what are schools for? Schools enable young people to acquire the knowledge that for most of them cannot be acquired at home or in the community. Learning in school serves us in the future and allows us later to go further. At the heart of the educational process is the continual broadening and deepening of knowledge. Minds are contagious and one of the most powerful influences that teachers can have on younger minds relies on teachers modelling learning characteristics and behavioural norms in the classroom. This modelling helps to create an environment for learning.

It is essential that we have safe, calm and dignified classrooms that facilitate good learning and teaching. Teachers build the norms they want to see in the classroom and a common cultural norm at Bedford Girls’ School involves establishing a culture of kindness. When we establish norms, it is important that we are clear about what we mean. In early years environments children are taught about kind hands, kind eyes and kind mouths. Early years practitioners unpack and explain behaviours, they demonstrate the behaviour and get the child to practice it. 

Young people will enter into conflict with each other, this is normal and expected and they might need an adult to help them resolve the conflict. When something goes wrong, we adopt a restorative approach at BGS. We ask the student to reflect on what happened, what they were thinking at the time, who was affected and what needs to be done to make things right. Restorative approaches enable those who have been harmed to convey the impact of the harm to those responsible, and for those responsible to acknowledge this impact and take steps to put it right. Restorative approaches do not negate the need for consequences for unacceptable behaviour, but research shows that it can alleviate problems such as bullying, classroom disruption, truancy and poor attendance, antisocial behaviour, and disputes between pupils.

Young people need to see adults behaving compassionately. Teachers greet students as they enter the classroom, we speak to our students warmly, we give them encouraging words and we take notice when they demonstrate their own acts of kindness. A culture of kindness helps us all to fulfill another very important purpose of schools apart from knowledge and skill acquisition; that of building understanding, respect and community.

Celebrations this year seem even more special having been separated from loved ones last year. Yet with all the news of poor supply chains due to Brexit and Covid, many have been concerned about being able to honour all of our traditional festivities. In fact, I was emailed by the company suggesting I order my Christmas Tree in October so not to be disappointed; I don’t think I have ever started planning my celebrations that early before!

The first sign of the run up to Christmas in my family is on Stir-Up Sunday on the last Sunday before advent, where I follow my grandmother’s family Christmas pudding recipe. It is handwritten in her beautiful script and in imperial measurements. I love the feeling of knowing that her mother handed this recipe down to her and that I am now carrying on the tradition. She is 101 now and not able to bake herself, so it makes it even more poignant. I also ensure that everyone in the family stirs it clockwise to honour the Three Kings journey from East to West to follow the old time tradition. I love this feeling of passing down traditions to my own family, knowing they will keep them alive in years to come. In all our cultures, the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next is valuable and precious.

And what about that tree I ordered so early this year? Most people think they were introduced to the UK by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, but actually it was a bit earlier than that. The first Christmas tree was introduced by the wife of King George III, Queen Charlotte, who brought the tradition from her native Germany. However, certainly it was Prince Albert (also from Germany) and Queen Victoria who popularised the tradition with the Victorians and it is why they are so ubiquitous today. Interestingly the oldest surviving Christmas tree can be found here in Bedford at Wrest Park. It was planted in 1856 and was brought inside every year to be redecorated by the family, before being returned outside to wait until the following year. It is now far too big and too old to be decorated inside the house anymore, but it lives on in the parkland watching over the celebrations each year. 

So from my grandma’s Christmas pudding recipe to the grand old tree that have both seen well over one hundred Christmas celebrations, I think no matter what happens this year, whether we can fulfil all of our traditions or not, the central theme is being thankful for the opportunity to come together. For those of us celebrating Christmas, and those of us who are not, let’s focus this holiday on the importance of family and friends, about spending time with one another, experiencing our own unique traditions and enjoying each other’s company. 

As I am sure many of us, with younger families, will spend at least a bit of time this holiday watching a Disney film or two, it seems apt to finish on a quote from Walt Disney “Life is beautiful. It’s about giving. It’s about family”.  I wish you all a happy holiday.

I remember as a teenager growing up in the North of England proudly studying the Industrial Revolution which had developed my local landscape. I was fascinated by the amazing engineering feats of the Victorians: the Box Tunnel in Bath designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, which legend has it was designed so you could see the sun shining all the way through only on his birthday; the Iron Bridge in Staffordshire (that I once requested to go on a detour to see when attending a party); and the sewer and Tube systems in London, which revolutionised our capital city. 

Growing up with a step-father who is an engineer has meant that many family holidays have also been given over to the appreciation of more modern engineering feats such as the Seven Mile Bridge in Florida. So as you can imagine when I heard Carl Ennis of Siemens, a fellow northerner even more passionate about the history of British engineering, talk about the importance of getting more women into STEM industries to secure its future at the GSA Conference in Manchester, I was all ears.

He believes that in the light of COP26 and the world‘s commitment to Net Zero, Britain can seize this opportunity to lead the way in a second Industrial Revolution, this time a much greener one! However, the lack of female engineers is saddening. Despite many strides forward, the engineering industry is still not anywhere near gender equal, with only 24% of people working in STEM careers being female. He praised the work girls’ schools are doing in encouraging their students into engineering. However, he went on to say “Girls who have been encouraged, supported and nurtured through school are sent into a world of work that, in some instances, is the binary opposite of what they’d hoped for. In STEM subjects, this can mean male overalls, male safety shoes, male goggles and male workstations.” 

Siemens has been working with the GSA for a number of years to address these issues and if we really are to lead the way with a new generation of engineering innovators, there must be female voices at the table. We encourage our students to engage in STEM and particularly look at issues around sustainability: one project looks at making and analysing ionic liquids which will have important green applications as solvents and catalysts; another involves understanding Earth observation, using satellite images to track glacier calving and iceberg formation; and Year 9 Physics are currently looking at reducing heat energy losses from homes and renewable energy sources for electricity production. 

At the conference, I also heard from Phoebe Hanson from Force of Nature (a non profit organisation fighting climate change), who talked emotively about the eco-anxiety many of our young people are suffering. She highlighted that 79% of young people feel hopelessness about the climate crisis and 4 out of 10 children don’t want to have children as they don’t know what the world they will bring them into will be like. This is a terrible situation to be in. We need to help our young people to see that there are options for them to make a difference. We want our students to pursue their passions in STEM, to use the confidence they gain here at BGS to take their creative ideas and ability to problem solve out into the world, to make a difference to the future of humankind. 

As David Attenborough said: “We often talk of saving the planet, but the truth is that we must do these things to save ourselves. With or without us, the wild will return.” I understand the helplessness young people feel in the face of the climate crisis, but I hope our students will be able to feel positive about the impact they can make by using their intellect and  passion for science to reimagine the future of our world.