Our Penola student leaders have had an unforgettable experience on the UK Student Leadership Tour! From the moment they arrived, students dived into school visits with School 360, Surrey Square Primary and King Alfred School, guided by the wonderful Liz Robinson, CEO of Big Education. They joined lessons, collaborated with local students, and shared plenty of laughs along the way.

Of course, it wasn’t all classroom time — there was also plenty of sightseeing! From Buckingham Palace and Camden Markets to Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and a Thames River cruise, students soaked up the culture and history at every turn.

The tour concluded with the Global Girl Leading Summit, hosted by the Mulberry Schools Trust, where Penola students joined peers from Mexico, Kenya and Italy for a celebration of leadership, empathy and sisterhood. They took part in inspiring discussions and workshops with global changemakers, including Tina Tchen from the Obama Foundation.

A heartfelt thank you to Dr Vanessa Ogden, Liz Robinson and the entire Mulberry Schools Trust team for their incredible hospitality and for creating such an empowering experience for our future leaders.

Here’s what some of our students had to say about the experience…

The 2025 Student Leadership tour was truly eye opening, I'm truly so grateful to go on such a trip. The trip taught me what real leadership was and why it is important to have a team. something I loved was getting closer with everyone on the trip, we all learned not just what leadership really was, but what friendship was. I will forever be grateful.
Erica R

The UK leadership trip was an amazing experience. I met so many new people from different countries and had so much fun making new friends and keeping in touch with them it was such a valuable and unforgettable experience to learn new things from other leaders around the world.
Daniella K

The trip meant a lot to me as I was able to bond with girls from around the globe and speak about our views about women equality. It was a privilege to be able to learn about all the other girls too. The best memory was making lots of friends and being able to do this with an amazing group of people.
Keira M

The Global Girl Leadership Trip was one of the most enlightening experiences I’ve ever had the privilege to be a part of. The girls I’ve made bonds with, both internationally and within our school, have been life changing. London was a beautiful place, I can't wait to return some time in the future. The teachers unwavering support and patience was essential to make the trip what it was. One of my favourite memories of the trip was going to the Lion King, and all of us walking back to the bus singing all the songs. I also loved our dinners together, laughing about the day that had been. Grateful for everything.
Isabelle C