External Speakers
External speakers give students the opportunity to meet professional people who they might not otherwise encounter. Students can then learn about their jobs and ask questions about their responsibilities.
Recent Speakers:
Lord Haskel visits the Law and Politics Departments (November 2011)
Who visits the school?
Students studying Law are visited by a local magistrate who speaks to the students about their duties as lay justices. The students are engaged in court role plays and are asked to reach their own decisions. The local magistrate also answers questions from the students and speaks to them about cases and sentences. The students really enjoy this visit as it helps to bring the work in class to life. The Inner Temple is also involved in working with students and bringing barristers to schools. Last year a young female barrister visited the classes. She gave an interesting account of studying to become a barrister and some of the challenges that she faced. She spoke in depth about her career: the types of cases she undertakes, her love of the job and the opportunities for careers at the Bar. She took many questions from the students and at the end they were able to try on her wig and gown. It was a great visit and it enabled students to meet someone who, like them, attended a state school, but now is very successful in a job that she loves.
Politics students were visited last year by Lord Woolf who spoke to them eloquently about his extensive work in the House of Lords and answered questions the students posed. Lord Woolf commented after his visit that he was most impressed with the students’ genuine interest and passion for politics. Mike Wendling, an expert on American politics and a broadcast journalist and editor at BBC Radio 4 spoke to the students about US politics, whilst Anthony Little, an expert on British politics and local government, and a parliamentary candidate spoke to students about his experience of politics within Britain.
Students in the RE Department were visited by a local priest who talked to them about why he became a priest, his ordination and what his roles and responsibilities are within the Catholic Church.