In February, F4S attended the Harris Maths Conference 2026 as part of our ongoing partnership with the trust. This is a collaboration rooted in a shared commitment to improving outcomes in maths education and broadening student aspirations.
As one of the largest multi-academy trusts in the UK, the Harris Federation serves a diverse student population across London and the South East. Many of its schools support communities with higher levels of socio-economic disadvantage, including students eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) and those living in areas identified within the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).
By working closely with Harris schools, we are helping to ensure that young people, regardless of background, have access to professional networks, career insights, and role models that can expand their sense of what is possible.
Connecting Maths Classrooms to the World of Work
At the conference, we engaged directly with 15 maths teachers as part of our wider outreach efforts. These conversations focused on:
- Raising awareness of F4S and our mission
- Exploring how our platform can support maths teaching and careers education
- Identifying opportunities to embed employer encounters into the curriculum
Teachers were particularly interested in how F4S can:
- Bring real-world relevance into maths lessons
- Connect students with professionals in STEM and related industries
- Support the Gatsby Benchmarks through meaningful employer engagement
- Provide accessible, scalable opportunities for entire classrooms
These discussions reinforced something we see time and time again: when educators are given the tools and connections to link learning with real careers, student engagement and aspiration increase.
Building Momentum Across the Trust
It was especially encouraging to see growing awareness of F4S across the trust. Several teachers were already familiar with our work, a strong sign that our partnership is gaining momentum and embedding itself within the Harris network.
But our relationship with the Harris Federation goes far beyond event attendance.
It reflects a strategic, long-term approach to:
- Strengthening educator engagement across a large and influential trust
- Embedding employer encounters within core subjects such as maths
- Increasing equitable access to professional role models for students in underserved communities
By maintaining a visible presence at key trust events and investing in direct educator engagement, we are deepening relationships and strengthening collaboration at scale.
Bridging Aspiration and Opportunity
At F4S, we believe that every young person deserves access to inspiring professionals and meaningful employer encounters, not just those with existing networks or connections.
Our work with the Harris Federation demonstrates what is possible when trusts and organisations align around a shared goal: to bridge aspiration and opportunity gaps and ensure that maths education is not only academic, but transformational.
We look forward to continuing this partnership and supporting even more Harris educators in connecting their classrooms to the world of work.
“Sometimes pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can open tens of doors of opportunities.”
For International Women’s Week and National Careers Week, we’re proud to spotlight inspiring women who have turned their love of maths into meaningful careers. They are now championing the next generation of young people, particularly girls, to follow in their footsteps.
Kimberley McDonald – Group Treasury, Macquarie Group
Kimberley’s path into maths wasn’t planned. “I never planned to study Maths, yet I found myself switching to a pure Maths degree in my second year at university, having started with a combined honours in Maths and Psychology.” Since then, maths has opened a wealth of career opportunities for her, and she uses her analytical and problem-solving skills every day in her finance career.
Volunteering as a role model with Maths4Girls allows Kimberley to speak to her 15-year-old self, emphasizing just how crucial studying Maths would turn out to be. “Maths 4 Girls demonstrates the importance of representation. When girls see real-life role models, it helps break down stereotypes and showcase the wide array of careers that Maths can lead to. When they can see it, they believe it—and when they believe it, they can achieve it.”
On International Women’s Day, Kimberley celebrates the achievements of women in STEM and champions inspiring girls to pursue Maths and other STEM subjects. These fields often lead to rewarding, higher-paid careers in finance and technology, helping to address the gender pay gap that can begin with choices made as early as age 15. By encouraging girls to follow these paths, we take meaningful steps toward greater equality and recognition of women’s contributions in these vital industries.
🔗 Bring Kimberley into your classroom this National Careers Week and inspire your students: Book Kimberley here
Bex Kimberley – Senior Risk Manager, Macquarie Group
Bex’s love of maths began long before the classroom—in her grandad’s living room. “We used to sit together and play along with Countdown, racing to solve the numbers challenge before the clock ran out. I didn’t realise it then, but those moments sparked something that would shape the path ahead of me: a genuine passion for problem-solving.”
This spark grew into a decision to study maths at degree level. “I loved the clarity of it—the way a complex idea could unfold logically, step by step, until everything clicked into place. But what I didn’t know at the time was that my career wouldn’t follow the ‘traditional’ maths route.”
Bex didn’t end up in a role where she spends her days solving equations or doing technical modelling. Instead, she found herself in a career where the thinking that maths teaches you matters just as much as the maths itself. “Critical reasoning, structured logic, and the discipline of showing your working are skills I use every single day. Maths taught me that the journey to the answer is just as important as the answer itself, and that mindset has shaped how I lead, collaborate, and make decisions.”
On International Women’s Day, she celebrates not just women in STEM, but all the women whose paths don’t always look linear or traditional. The foundations built through her maths education continue to support her in ways that are both powerful and unexpected.
🔗 Bring Bex into your classroom this National Careers Week and inspire your students: Book Bex here
Krina Solanki – Software Engineer, Goldman Sachs
Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXMhtettgwQ
Krina’s love for maths began in school, where she enjoyed breaking big problems into smaller parts, uncovering the unknowns, and building confidence in her solutions. “That same curiosity, resilience, and problem-solving mindset has guided my STEM career—developing software solutions that make an impact around the world.”
“Maths isn’t just about numbers. It’s about curiosity, resilience, and the confidence to tackle challenges you’ve never faced before. By nurturing these skills early, I was able to turn classroom learning into real-world impact, from solving complex coding problems to collaborating with my team to create innovative solutions.”
She is passionate about encouraging girls to explore, thrive, and lead in STEM. “When girls embrace maths and STEM, they gain not just knowledge, but confidence, opportunity, and choice.”
🔗 Bring Krina into your classroom this National Careers Week and inspire your students: Book Krina here
Esther Wershof – Machine Learning Scientist, Altos Labs
Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6qBAFMyvnc
For Esther, maths has been the key to autonomy and choice in her career. “I chose to study maths to keep my options open—but what I discovered was far more powerful. Today, I work at the cutting edge of scientific research, building mathematical models to understand how cells behave and exploring how rejuvenation could help treat disease.”
“From healthcare to AI, finance to city planning, maths sits at the heart of innovation. Maths isn’t just about numbers. It’s about problem-solving, adaptability, and having the confidence to say, ‘I don’t know how to do that yet—but I can figure it out.’”
She is passionate about ensuring women lead in STEM, not just participate. “When girls embrace maths, they don’t just open doors—they gain autonomy, opportunity, and choice.”
🔗 Bring Esther into your classroom this National Careers Week and inspire your students: Book Esther here
This International Women’s Week, let’s continue empowering young women to see STEM not as a limitation, but as a doorway to possibilities. By celebrating these inspiring women, we can help the next generation gain confidence, curiosity, and courage to pursue their own paths in maths and STEM.
At Founders4Schools (F4S), sustainability is more than a single topic—it’s a mindset. It helps young people understand the world, envision their future careers, and appreciate their role in shaping a society that works for everyone.
This March, we are proud to launch Sustainability Month, sponsored by Hitachi Energy. Through this partnership, students will engage with a company actively responding to global challenges through innovation, technology, and people. Hitachi Energy’s support allows young people to see how sustainability drives real-world decision-making and career opportunities.
Why Sustainability Education Matters
Today’s students are growing up in a world defined by rapid technological change, climate pressures, and increasing expectations around social responsibility. Sustainability is no longer just an environmental issue—it spans leadership, wellbeing, governance, diversity, technology, and economic growth.
For educators, sustainability provides a powerful context for learning. It allows students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges while supporting careers education by highlighting how sustainability intersects across sectors and roles.
Sustainability Month helps schools and colleges by:
- Linking curriculum learning to practical applications
- Supporting Gatsby Benchmarks through meaningful encounters with employers
- Helping students understand how sustainability connects to future career pathways
Why Hitachi Energy Is Supporting Sustainability Month
Hitachi Energy has a long-standing commitment to contributing to society through original technology and innovative products. For more than 115 years, this philosophy has guided the company’s approach to innovation, growth, and social responsibility.
Sponsoring Sustainability Month reflects Hitachi Energy’s structured approach to sustainability, which is central to its business strategy. Under the Inspire 2027 management plan, the company aims to build a harmonised society where environmental stewardship, wellbeing, and economic growth are balanced while achieving sustainable business growth.
Through Sustainability Month, Hitachi Energy shares these insights with students and educators, showing how sustainability is systematically planned, measured, and delivered within a global organisation.
Connecting Sustainability to the Curriculum
Sustainability Month is designed with educators in mind. Activities and virtual assemblies connect classroom learning in science, geography, design and technology, computing, and citizenship to real-world sustainability themes.
The programme also supports careers education and Gatsby Benchmarks, offering students:
- Meaningful encounters with employers
- Insight into labour market trends
- Understanding of how classroom knowledge applies to future careers
Engaging with professionals from Hitachi Energy allows students to see how sustainability shapes decision-making in real workplaces, helping them connect curriculum learning with practical outcomes.
What Students Will Gain
Through Sustainability Month and direct engagement with Hitachi Energy, students will:
- See how sustainability appears in real jobs
- Learn how organisations measure and manage social and environmental impact
- Explore the intersection of technology, leadership, and ethics
- Discover careers linked to sustainability and innovation
- Understand how businesses contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
These experiences help students build knowledge, raise aspirations, and make informed decisions about their future pathways.
A Shared Commitment to the Future
Hitachi Energy’s sponsorship reflects a shared commitment with F4S to education, opportunity, and long-term social impact. By connecting students with employers addressing global challenges, Sustainability Month demonstrates that sustainability is not an abstract concept—it is a practical and achievable part of their future careers.
Together, F4S and Hitachi Energy are showing the next generation that sustainability is not only the future of work—it is the foundation of it.
We’re delighted to recognise Chinyere Nnaukwu-Kalu Nkwocha, Careers Advisor at Bishop Ullathorne Catholic School, as our January Educator of the Month.
Over the past year, Chinyere has booked 7 sessions with F4S, consistently creating opportunities for her students to connect with real-world professionals and broaden their horizons.
When planning a careers event for Year 12 students, Chinyere partnered with F4S to bring her vision to life. The result was a powerful ‘Meet with Industry’ event, where students engaged directly with professionals from a range of sectors.
From software development to engineering and AI, students heard authentic career journeys, gained valuable insights, and even secured work experience opportunities during speed networking sessions.
Her commitment to ensuring students access diverse role models and tangible opportunities perfectly reflects what meaningful careers education looks like in action.
“The event was a success. The students enjoyed networking with individuals from various industries and were able to secure some work experience placements. They thoroughly enjoyed it.”
— Ms. Nnaukwu-Kalu Nkwocha
Chinyere’s proactive approach demonstrates the impact of strong school–industry partnerships. By embedding employer encounters into her careers programme, she’s helping students think bigger, stay open-minded, and make informed decisions about their futures.
Thank you, Chinyere, for your dedication, enthusiasm, and continued collaboration. We’re proud to support the incredible work you’re doing at Bishop Ullathorne Catholic School and look forward to many more impactful sessions ahead.
Every educator knows that moment when a student asks, 'When am I ever going to use this in real life?' At F4S we believe the best answer isn't a theory—it’s a person. We also know that the to-do list for teachers are already long enough. That’s why we created this guide: to take the guesswork out of industry engagement. We’ve streamlined the process into six simple steps, helping teachers create those 'lightbulb moments' for students without adding to the workload.
The 6-Step Framework for Success
- Explore the Platform – Browse our volunteer database to find professionals ready to share their expertise.
- Select the Right Volunteer – Choose a volunteer whose skills and experience align with your lesson objectives.
- Schedule the Session – Set a convenient time for the volunteer and your students.
- Prepare Your Students – Share background info, discussion questions, or pre-work to maximise engagement.
- Run the Session – Facilitate the session in class, encouraging interaction and questions.
- Reflect and Share Feedback – Discuss key takeaways with students and provide feedback to the volunteer to enhance future sessions.
Why Use This Guide?
By following this guide, teachers ensure:
- Consistency: Every session feels high-quality and professional
- Reduced Stress: A clear plan from start to finish
- Student Agency: Proper preparation empowers students to take the lead in their own career exploration
By bridging the gap between the classroom and the workplace, teachers aren't just teaching a lesson; they’re opening a door to a future career path.
At Founders4Schools (F4S), we believe that a single conversation with a professional can fundamentally change how a young person sees their future.
Recently, we sat down with our partners at OakNorth Bank for a "Learn + Lunch" session. It was an inspiring opportunity to reflect on our shared impact and discuss how volunteers are the vital bridge between the classroom and the career of a student's dreams.
Connecting Classrooms to the World of Work
Over the past decade, F4S volunteers have reached more than 700,000 students across the UK. For many of these young people, a session with an F4S volunteer is their first-ever interaction with a professional. It’s a moment that opens doors they didn’t even know existed.
Why Partnerships Like OakNorth Matter
The OakNorth x F4S partnership thrives because OakNorth recognizes that thriving businesses and thriving communities go hand in hand. Through their "1% Pledge" (donating 1% of profits and 1% of employee time), OakNorth team members are empowered to give back in ways that are flexible, meaningful, and highly impactful.
During our session, we explored how employees across finance, tech, operations, and customer support can use their "lived experience" to demystify the world of work. By sharing their personal journeys, they help students understand:
- The specific skills employers actually value.
- The many different routes into a professional career.
- The day-to-day realities of working life.
Impact in Action
We were proud to share a testimonial from Chinyere Nnaukwu-Kalu Nkwocha, Careers Advisor at Bishop Ullathorne Catholic School. Chinyere recently arranged a Year 7 careers event where volunteers spoke in person. The result? Students left feeling engaged, inspired, and energised simply because someone from the professional world took the time to show up for them.
Encouraging the ripple effect
Volunteering is most powerful when it’s shared. We encourage everyone in the F4S community to help us spread the word. By inviting a colleague, peer, or friend to join our platform, you ensure that schools have access to a diverse, representative pool of role models.
Want to help? If you’d like an information pack to share with your network or want to learn more about volunteering with F4S, please reach out to Candace Wilson: 📧 community@f4s.org.uk
We are delighted to celebrate Klaudia Starula as our Volunteer of the Month for February.
As a Penetration Testing Service Delivery Coordinator at Hitachi, Klaudia works at the forefront of cybersecurity. Her role in "ethical hacking" involves managing teams that test systems for vulnerabilities to keep them safe from threats—a career that perfectly demonstrates the exciting, real-world application of tech and logic.
Going the Extra Mile
Impact often starts with showing up, and Klaudia truly went the distance. She traveled out of her local area to support Bishop Ullathorne Catholic School’s career fair to share her expertise in person. This dedication is what makes the F4S community so special; our volunteers don’t just share their knowledge—they invest their time and energy into making a genuine connection with the next generation.
Demystifying "Ethical Hacking"
During her session, Klaudia pulled back the curtain on the world of cybersecurity. In a world where students are constantly online, hearing from someone who protects national energy infrastructure is incredibly powerful.
Real Impact in the Classroom
The feedback from Chinyere Nnaukwu-Kalu Nkwocha, Careers Advisor at Bishop Ullathorne, highlighted how much it meant to the students to have a relatable role model in the room. By seeing someone like Klaudia—working in a high-stakes, "offensive" security role—the students began to see themselves in a field that might have previously felt out of reach.
Why We Celebrate Our Volunteers
Our volunteers are the heart of F4S. Whether they are driving 50 minutes to a school or joining a session virtually, they are bridging the gap between classroom theory and industry reality. By sharing her "lived experience" in cybersecurity, Klaudia has helped raise aspirations and potentially sparked a career path for a future ethical hacker.
Thank you, Klaudia, for your commitment, your passion for your industry, and for showing students that the future of tech is both exciting and accessible.
Inspired by Klaudia’s Story?
You don't need to be a "hacker" to make a difference. Whether you work in finance, marketing, or operations, your journey can inspire a young person to find their own path.[Sign up to volunteer today] and help us shape the next generation of talent.
We’re proud to celebrate Theresa Watts, Vocational Pathways and Enterprise Lead within the Schools and Early Years Improvement Service, as our December Educator of the Month.
Theresa consistently goes above and beyond to create meaningful, high-quality opportunities for young people across Enfield. Through her proactive approach and deep commitment to collaboration, she plays a vital role in strengthening links between education, employers, and local services — ensuring that students are better supported as they explore future pathways.
In her role, Theresa works closely with schools and educators to champion vocational pathways and enterprise opportunities that broaden young people’s horizons. She understands the importance of exposure to real-world experiences and career insights, particularly for students who may not otherwise have access to them. This commitment is reflected in the way she actively seeks out, shares, and promotes opportunities that add genuine value to schools and learners across the borough.
Theresa has been a fantastic advocate for F4S, regularly sharing and championing our opportunities with her network. Thanks to her support, our programmes and events have reached at least 150 young people, significantly extending their impact across Enfield. Her efforts help ensure that educators are aware of the opportunities available to them and that students can benefit from encounters with inspiring professionals and practical career learning experiences.
What truly sets Theresa apart is her proactive mindset and strong partnership working. She doesn’t just share opportunities — she actively helps bring them to life by connecting the right people, encouraging collaboration, and keeping young people’s needs at the heart of everything she does. The result is a tangible, positive impact felt by schools, educators, and students alike.
At Founders4Schools, we’re incredibly grateful to work with educators like Theresa, whose dedication helps open doors for young people and strengthens the ecosystem of support around them. Her work exemplifies the power of collaboration and the difference one committed individual can make across an entire community.
Thank you, Theresa, for your continued support, leadership, and passion for creating brighter futures. We’re delighted to recognise you as our December Educator of the Month.
We’re delighted to celebrate Bex Kimberley as our Volunteer of the Month.
A Senior Risk Manager at Macquarie specialising in financial crime prevention, Bex demonstrates just how far maths and problem-solving skills can take you.
Showing students what’s possible
During the summer of 2025, Bex volunteered her time to support a F4S self-serve session with students at Leeds Mathematics School, as part of their summer school programme for higher-attaining Year 10 girls — a group that remains underrepresented in STEM subjects at sixth form and beyond.
She shared her own non-linear journey — from A Levels in Dance, Drama, Maths, and History to studying Maths and Economics, and a placement year in banking that led her to a global career tackling financial crime.
Students were inspired by how relatable her work is, recognising skills they already use in class: spotting patterns, logical thinking under pressure, and clear communication. Her message was simple but powerful: curiosity matters, careers aren’t always straightforward, and the skills students build now will open doors they may not yet imagine.
Real impact in the classroom
The feedback from Leeds Mathematics School highlights exactly why these encounters matter:
“We wanted them [the students] to see someone in industry who uses maths every day. The students were incredibly engaged — they hadn’t considered this kind of career before.”
— Declán Forster, Teacher of Mathematics and Outreach Programme Lead
Declan went on to add:
“We got exactly what we wanted: those girls seeing someone in industry and thinking, ‘Oh, I can do this too.’ That representation is incredibly valuable.”
The school has since committed to continuing their work with F4S, having seen first-hand the positive impact these sessions can have.
Continued commitment
Bex continues to support the Maths4Girls programme and has already accepted an upcoming session in February, helping more students benefit from her insight and experience. Volunteers like Bex make self-serve sessions quick to book, easy to deliver, and profoundly impactful.
Thank you, Bex, for inspiring young people and showing that STEM futures are real, achievable, and within reach.
Why we celebrate our volunteers
Our volunteers are at the heart of F4S, helping students connect classroom learning to the world of work. By sharing their experience and journeys, they build confidence, raise aspirations, and spark ideas for futures students had never previously considered.
Celebrating our volunteers is our way of saying thank you — and of recognising the powerful role they play in shaping the next generation.If Bex’s story has inspired you, why not consider giving back and sharing your expertise with students? Sign up to volunteer through our platform and help shape the next generation of role models.
Macquarie’s Foundation Week 2025 brought together colleagues from across the firm for a brain-busting Sudoku battle in support of Maths4Girls. More than just a test of speed and logic, it was a celebration of community, competition, and commitment to inspiring more young women to pursue STEM subjects.
While Macquarie colleagues raced to complete over 1,500 Sudoku puzzles, the real victory was for the next generation of mathematicians, engineers, and scientists. The funds raised by the participants were double matched by Macquarie, tripling the initial donations that support Maths4Girls in sending role models into UK schools to inspire girls to continue with maths and STEM subjects beyond GCSE.
How the Challenge Worked
- Online Sudoku Challenge: Participants raced to complete a Sudoku puzzle, submitted their times, and made a suggested charity donation. The winner of the online competition scored an incredible 49 seconds.
- Live Events: The tension was palpable as colleagues faced off in live head-to-head matches in the office, with top talent invited for a finale. The winner of this round managed to score an amazing 1:01 whilst under many watching eyes!
- Group competition: Fastest times scored highest points for their Groups, feeding into a Macquarie-wide leaderboard.
Making a Difference Together
Thanks to the enthusiasm and generosity of Macquarie colleagues, the event was a huge success - not just for the winners, but for every student impacted by Maths4Girls. Since inception, Macquarie volunteers have reached over 2,500 students across the UK, helping to break down barriers and build futures.
Interested in supporting Maths4Girls or learning more? Visit Maths4Girls and help us inspire the next generation of women in STEM!