Inspiring Year 11 Students at Brentford School for Girls

At the start of the new academic year, Brentford School for Girls was delighted to welcome five business leaders to inspire and motivate their Year 11 students. Using the F4S free service, Liz Gers, Community Coordinator and Co-Head of Year 11, identified and invited leaders of successful, growing businesses into the classroom to share their career journeys.

The Speakers and Their Stories

The school hosted an impressive line-up of business leaders:

• Elizabeth Deeming, COO of Stylus Media Group

• Dana Tobak, Founder of Hyperoptic

• Shannon Edwards, Entrepreneur

• Simon Kelly, Director at LinkedIn

• William Rowe, Founder of Protein

Each speaker shared their own unique pathway and personal experiences that led them to where they are today. The event left the leaders impressed by the ambition and potential of the students, while the students left inspired, having learned about a variety of career journeys and opportunities available to them.

The event was a resounding success, with overwhelmingly positive feedback:

“The event at Brentford School for Girls was one of the best I’ve been lucky to be a part of.”

– Shannon Edwards

“Brilliant organisation before the event, it was really great fun. If you can influence just one student to take a risk and raise their aspirations, it is really worth it.”

– Simon Kelly

“I have nothing but positive feedback – it was a great event, very well organised, both by F4S and by the staff at the school.”

– Elizabeth Deeming

The Year 11 students enjoyed hearing the different pathways taken by the speakers, gaining valuable insights into the world of work and the skills needed to succeed. The opportunity for a Q&A session at the end of the event proved particularly useful, as students had the chance to ask thoughtful questions and get tailored advice.

A Simple and Impactful Process

Liz Gers found the Founders4Schools platform easy to use, enabling her to bring inspiring role models into the classroom with minimal effort. She shared:

“It was easy to set up an event, invite business leaders, and inspire my students to raise their aspirations.”

Liz encourages other schools to explore the platform, which provides a simple way to connect students with successful business leaders who can help raise aspirations and broaden horizons.