19 November 2025
Mr Adrian Ross, Director of Leadership
Woldingham School is proud to have won the Supporting Young Leaders Award from The Institute of Leadership, a national organisation dedicated to developing leadership capability across the UK and internationally. This award recognises organisations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to nurturing leadership skills in young people. For Woldingham, it represents a significant endorsement of our whole-school approach to developing confident, compassionate and capable young leaders.
Personal Growth is one of the five Sacred Heart Goals that underpin a Woldingham education. Through the work of our personal growth staff team, and their collaboration with colleagues across the school, the individual development of every student becomes a lived experience, which helps them recognise their strengths, grow in confidence and lead with purpose.
Through programmes such as the Woldingham Leadership Award, a bespoke Sixth Form leadership programme accredited by the Institute of Leadership, Graydin coaching training and our Big Sisters mentoring scheme, students are encouraged to consider what leadership truly means — not simply holding a position of responsibility, but demonstrating integrity, supporting others and leading with purpose and self-awareness.
Alongside these structured programmes, students benefit from a rich calendar of visiting speakers from a wide range of professions. Talks from entrepreneurs, campaigners, scientists, artists and others – some of them Woldingham alumnae – expose students to real examples of resilience, vision and ethical leadership. Other initiatives, such as our Thinking Big programme of lunchtime talks by students and staff, enable students to present their own ideas, promoting intellectual curiosity, confidence and respectful debate.
Across all areas of school life, colleagues work together to create meaningful opportunities for students to explore their passions, grow in courage and act with compassion. This collective commitment is at the heart of why Woldingham has received national recognition with this award from the Institute of Leadership.
In a world where collaboration, empathy and principled decision-making are increasingly important, nurturing leadership from an early age is essential. This award confirms Woldingham’s dedication to preparing young women not only for academic success, but for lives of service, purpose and responsible leadership — wherever their future paths may lead.