Five Y13 pupils seized the chance to take part in the Charter Student Leadership Conference at Wimbledon High School (WHS) this week.
The pupils – Fred, Janaii, Jonny, Mirja and Tabitha – were amongst the student leaders representing 28 local schools who participated in the conference. The event is run as part of The Charter, a collaborative, pupil-led partnership between King’s College School Wimbledon and WHS which delivers joint initiatives to build inclusive communities.
This year’s conference – the third of its kind – focused on ‘Leadership in Polarised Times’ and attendees were able to hear from a panel of expert speakers. The programme for the day included a welcoming address from Ben Turner, Senior Deputy Head of WHS, and a conversation between Anki Deo of HOPE not hate and Rabbi Jonny Hughes about how to counter extremism and build bridges in divided times. A key speaker was Baroness Warsi, lawyer, business woman and the first Muslim to serve in a Conservative cabinet who took part in a conversation-style discussion with a WHS pupil ambassador.
This stimulating and thought-provoking conference provided information, discussion, Q&As and workshop sessions for everyone who took part. Our Y13 pupils felt the day was both interesting and rewarding.
Tabitha said: ”All of the speakers were so engaging and opened my eyes to the nuances and debates around ‘Leadership in a polarised time’. They also encouraged really interesting conversations with students from other schools.”
