Future Leaders Conference 2026
This term, our Careers and Employability Team proudly hosted the third Future Leaders Conference 2026, bringing together a group of nominated students who consistently demonstrate leadership qualities across college. The event is designed to help students collaborate with like-minded students and further develop their leadership skills through engaging talks and workshops. We were also delighted to welcome student leaders from our fellow Stamford Park Trust high schools.
The day started with a warm welcome from our Principal, Lisa Richards, who explored her own journey from teacher to Principal. Lisa set an inspiring tone for the day, emphasising the significance of strong leadership and the value of transferable skills.
Lisa commented:
"Our college is full of bright, ambitious and creative young people, many of whom will be our future leaders across a variety of fields. It is important that we nurture their leadership qualities now, as well as instilling in them the belief that they can and should aspire to the very top of whatever field they choose. It was lovely that pupils from across our Stamford Park Trust family joined us for the day - it was great to see them interacting with each other and ASFC students, developing new skills and sharing their ideas. I think all our student delegates got a lot from the day, and our visiting speakers commended them very highly. I am very proud of how all our young people represented themselves and am excited to see their ongoing career and leadership journey."
This year's line-up of speakers featured Councillor Andrew McLaren, Ed Darling, founder of Project Charisma and public speaking specialist, Ric Moylan, high performance coach and mentor and Kathryn Burn, entrepreneur and fianlist on BBC's The Apprentice. Each shared powerful insights from their personal and professional journeys, showing the many different paths that leadership can take them.
Students also took part in a series of workshops, including a Leadership Qualities session led by our Vice Principal, Sheridan Lewis that encourage reflection, collaboration and goal setting.
Careers and Employability Lead, Tony Payne said:
"Our Future Leaders Conference was an incredibly inspiring day and I was so proud to see our students really embrace everything the event had to offer. We were very fortunate to welcome such an amazing group of speakers, who shared their experiences, advice and honest insights into leadership, ambition and making the most of opportunities. Our students came away with a much stronger understanding that leadership isn’t simply about having a title, it’s about confidence, communication, resilience, taking responsibility and having the courage to make a positive difference. From standing up on stage and talking without using filler words to being physically moulded into the shape of a confident or shy speaker. I hope the day has encouraged our students to recognise their own potential as the future leaders of our college, our communities and beyond."
The Future Leaders Conference 2026 once again provided students with a valuable opportunity to develop their leadership skills, broaden their perspectives and learn more about what it means to be an effective leader. The event encouraged students to build their confidence, recognise their potential and consider how they can make a positive impact in their future studies, careers and communities.
One student fed back:
"It has boosted my confidence in many ways and it was a lot of fun!"
We’re proud that the conference has become a regular highlight of the college calendar, providing an opportunity for students to learn, grow and develop the skills they need to become the leaders of tomorrow.
