St Catherine’s School, Twickenham, recently hosted ‘Life Beyond School,’ an event designed to educate and prepare young women for the next phase of their academic and personal lives, equipping them with the confidence and knowledge they will need to thrive in the next stages of their lives.
Over 250 young women were in attendance, all from local Catholic girls schools, including: Gumley House School, Marymount International School, St Augustine’s Priory and Sacred Heart. The inspiring day consisted of interactive workshops and thought-provoking talks.
The fascinating day began with a talk from Caitlin Fawkes (Deputy Head of Counter Terrorism) who shared many lessons she has learnt from working in a very male-dominated field. Fawkes delivered an empowering speech and created an atmosphere of ambition for the rest of the day. She encouraged the young women present to approach their future careers with resilience and curiosity.
Sixth former Martha Collyer-Hamlin (a student at St Catherine’s School) commented: ‘I loved having the opportunity to welcome and spend the day with students from other local schools. I felt it was really beneficial to have discussions with inspiring women from various backgrounds and fields.’
A particularly popular event was the engaging Q&A with Dr Kinjal Patel. Students were able to ask anonymous questions about issues related to health and well-being and received valuable answers and advice. She stressed the importance health has on shaping your future and encouraged developing positive habits early on.
In addition to the talks and workshops, the day offered plenty of opportunities for students to connect with peers from other schools. The young women walked away from the conference not only prepared for the future but inspired to make a difference in the world.
