Back to School With the Huq sisters Lights, Camera, Action GDST women behind the lens Life on the Front Line Alice Walpole The Magazine for the GDST Alumnae Family | 2020/21 CONTENTS GDST Girl for Life 2020/21 03 The future is hers. CONTENTS 22 The future is hers. 05 News The latest from the GDST 08 My School Memories Anne Fine OBE OLIVIA COLMAN CBE 11 The Rules I Live By Olivia Colman is a TV, film and theatre actor, with a career Alexandra King spanning 20 years. Her on-screen credits include Carol Thatcher 14 Change Maker in The Iron Lady, the Stepmother in Fleabag and Queen Chloe Smith Elizabeth II in the Netflix seriesThe Crown. In 2019, she achieved the hat-trick of an Academy Award, a BAFTA and a Golden 17 My Shelfie Globe for her outstanding performance as Queen Anne in Afua Hirsch The Favourite. Olivia is an alumna of Norwich High School for Girls. 18 Sister Act Nutun Ahmed and Rupa and Konnie Huq 22 Alumna of the Year 08 11 Olivia Colman CBE 26 Making a Difference Bursary stories 30 Stop! Think Bike Trailblazer Emily Brooke MBE ANNE FINE OBE ALEXANDRA KING Anne Fine is one of Britain’s Journalist Alexandra King Lights, Camera, Action 34 best-loved writers for both works as part of CNN’s Amira El-Nemr, Dominique Unsworth, Linn Waite and adults and children. She has award-winning digital Susanna White twice won both the Carnegie media team. Alex says her Championing the next generation of girls. Medal and the Whitbread journalistic beat is “human 38 Life on the Front Line Children’s Book of the rights and girl power.” Her Alice Walpole OBE Visit gdst.net Year Award, as well as the storytelling spans continents To find your nearest GDST school, visit gdst.net 42 Mentor, Big Sister and Friend Guardian Children’s Fiction and genres - from profiles Lily Peters and Prize, the Smarties Prize and of children orphaned by Eliza Cummings-Cove numerous other regional mandatory minimum drug 46 Soundtrack To My School Days and foreign awards. She has sentences, to interviews The Class of ‘84 twice been voted Children’s with female astronauts live Author of the Year. The BBC from the International Space 48 My Workspace have screened adaptations Station. In 2017, she won the Amy Isles Freeman of several of her books and Edward R. Murrow award for 50 The Write Stuff her novel Madame Doubtfire Excellence in Social Media Alumnae-authored books was transformed into a for her coverage of the Hollywood film starring Robin 2016 US election. Alex is an 51 The Last Word GDST Events and Keeping in Touch Williams. Anne is an alumna alumna of Nottingham Girls’ of Northampton High School. High School. Registered charity number 306983 Registered charity number 306983 23920GDST Red 285x215mm magazine Kristiana ads.indd 06 Jan.indd 1 1 27/01/202019/12/2019 17:01 16:10 Send to Repro. Image Usage Checked Signature .................................................. Supply Date: 06 Jan GDST Red (February Issue) Rob Waters 04 3mm 19 12 19 285x215mm 100% IN PRODUCTION 23920 Red 285x215mm Kristiana 06 Jan Art Director .................................................................. Copy Writer ................................................................. Creative Director ...................................................... Producer ...................................................................... Account Director ....................................................... Studio Manager ........................................................ Specle ID: 925894 WELCOME NEWS 04 GDST Girl for Life 2020/21 GDST Girl for Life 2020/21 05 NEWS Leading the debate Day of Dance at the Independent Dancers from across the GDST’s family of schools came together at Schools Show the world-famous Pineapple Studios Cheryl Giovannoni took centre stage in Covent Garden, for workshops at the Independent Schools Show to in musical theatre, ballet, hip hop, make the case for girls-only schools. commercial street, lyrical jazz and She cited less gender contemporary dance, and the Dear All stereotyping and more leadership chance to quiz choreographers GDST Summit 2019 and other opportunities for girls as about life as a dancer. I am so positive about the future for the girls in our schools right now. And Our 2019 Summit grabbed headlines two of the biggest advantages of an one of the reasons for my optimism is that I know they, like you, will have with its theme, New Rules – Preparing all-girl setting, instilling in girls the the support of the GDST Alumnae Network as they step out into the world. Young Women for a World of Radical confidence they need for a successful Change, and a number of high-profile future. We’re here for them, and for you, through all the stages of their journeys speakers including Wimbledon High At a GDST school, “every subject through life. And the first step on that journey is in a GDST Sixth Form. School alumna and BBC journalist, is a girls’ subject,” she said. “This Samira Ahmed, BBC Radio 4 Today means girls are far more likely to opt That’s why we’re strengthening the links between our alumnae and the EDITOR presenter, Mishal Husain, Mumsnet for science and maths.” Rachel Eling Sixth Formers in our schools, and asking you to get stuck in. founder, Justine Roberts, and author “A girl is free to be herself.” DEPUTY EDITOR and journalist Yomi Adegoke. She went on “most importantly, a For example, scores of alumnae have visited schools this year to inspire Jackie Ashe A panel of young alumnae was girl’s years at a girls’ school may be the pupils – role models who are also “real models”. This makes a real difference one of the highlights, discussing only time in her life that she will be in STAFF WRITER to our girls, and our schools. Clare Dickins “What I’ve Learned”. Amelia an environment that is designed with Ellis-Baumber, a Norwich High her in mind, with people that put her So, if you’ve got skills or experiences you’d like to share with the next DESIGN School alumna, described her at the centre of all they do.” Graphic Outlines Ltd generation, please do get in touch. apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce, and She concluded, “The most im- Printed by Impress Print being one of just eight girls on the portant thing a great education can Organiser Kira Bishop said, We talk about GDST schools being places where girls learn without limits, Services, an FSC-certified printer, scheme – a very different experience give a girl is the ability to be her own “Having taught at Pineapple Studios accredited with the international agent of change. Education gives so that when they leave us they have the confidence and wherewithal to environmental standard ISO 14001 to her schooldays. She said, “Going for more than a decade and at lead lives without limits. and a certified Carbon Balanced to a GDST school taught me to take you control over your own future. It Putney High School for 14 years, I Publication printer. The carbon every opportunity you can and I have is quite simply that powerful.” started Day of Dance to bring these impact of producing this magazine taken that into the workplace. Maybe As GDST girls who have gone on to lead interesting and eventful lives, we has been calculated and balanced two threads together. I wanted to hope you will find the time to inspire the next generation of women to do with the World Land Trust. it scares me but I’ve still gone and give elite dancers within the GDST the same, and stay close to the GDST family. done it.” a chance to immerse themselves Helen Stephens, an alumna of in a professional dance space Sutton High School, focussed on the and be taught by current dance importance of remembering that you professionals. The experience is a are in charge of your own destiny. “If total game changer from a dance Cheryl Giovannoni you don’t like something, don’t be class in a school hall, and I hope CHIEF EXECUTIVE scared,” she said. “Just change it, it encourages pupils to go on and life’s too short.” pursue a career in dance.” NEWS SCHOOL NEWS 06 GDST Girl for Life 2020/21 GDST Girl for Life 2020/21 07 SCHOOL NEWS alumnae network. “It’s one of the most valuable things we can give you,” she said. Birkenhead High School Keynote speakers included Academy Samira Ahmed, Deana Puccio of the Birkenhead High School Academy RAP Project, which raises awareness kicked off a major Instagram initiative in personal safety, and diversity and last year to shine a spotlight on the inclusion guru, Hayley Barnard. warm and vibrant environment that New GSA President Darci Shaw it provides for Sixth Formers, and Jane Prescott, Head of Portsmouth Sixth Form mentoring to build the pathway between life High School, is President of the Girls’ on the rise at school and beyond. A little over Schools Association for 2020. Jane Since its launch last year, more than 12 months later, BHSA has the most kicked off her term of office with a 1,000 GDST alumnae have signed up The Belvedere followed Sixth Form in the Wirral, with splash; with national media coverage to the rungway® app, to offer their Academy around 1,200 followers, and a growing number of its alumnae get in touch via of her views on mobile phones in experience and advice to GDST Sixth The Belvedere Academy the platform. the classroom, exotic trips overseas Formers – on anything from choosing alumna, Darci Shaw, hit the and climate change, along with the career paths, to guidance on which headlines and the high notes junior EPQ. university to attend. last year when she came to our screens as the young Judy Blackheath High School Inspiring Sixth Formers Garland, playing alongside In November, Blackheath High School hosted More than 1,000 students took part Renee Zellweger in a new an event celebrating of one of its most in the GDST’s Inspire conference biopic about the Hollywood acclaimed alumnae, Dame Mary Quant.