Sheffield Girls’ shortlisted for Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2021

Sheffield Girls’ work across the local community has resulted in a shortlisting in the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2021 for the Community Outreach category. 

We are proud of our firm commitment to partnership work and we work with a number of schools across the city to deliver a variety of projects.

Last year we held the city’s first Primary School Careers Forum, where professionals from a range of industries talked to around 250 pupils from 10 local primary schools, as well as pupils from our own Junior School.

The event was launched in response to the Government’s careers strategy which acknowledges the marked benefits of starting careers guidance earlier.

The Careers Forum was planned to extend beyond the event itself with Sheffield Girls' providing follow-up training with our Head of Careers to upskill and support the staff of the 10 participating primaries. A network has also been established with colleagues from each school now in regular communication to share best practice, resources and ideas.

Throughout 2019/20, our Sixth Form pupils also delivered Careers Breakfast Meetings in participating primary schools, talking to pupils about next steps in their school careers and sharing their own experiences and aspirations. Even after Covid-19 hit, Y11 students used their own work experience time to research career areas and used this information to produce career videos for the children in partner Primary schools.

The aim of the Independent School Awards is to highlight the excellence of the student experience in independent schools. A record number of schools from across the country have entered nominations into the 24 awards categories this year.

Head, Nina Gunson, said: "It has been hugely rewarding for all involved to collaborate on this project and our Senior School pupils love working with younger pupils from other schools. We feel a real sustainable change will be made as we continue to share expertise, learn from each other, upskill staff and increase capacity across partner schools.

“Raising young people’s aspirations and showing them they can be anything they want to be can be quite a challenge for any school. I don’t think any school, in isolation, can be as effectives as when we work together, pooling expertise and resources, to try and change things for children across our city.”

Independent Schools of the Year finalists will be revealed on 7 September, and judges will then meet again to reach a decision on the winner of each category. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in October.