School_Matters_Issue_34

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VI SPEAKER PROGRAMME Our VI Speaker Programme, expertly curated by Ms Rachel Palmer, Head of Sixth Form, offers a fascinating and enriching addition to our VI curriculum. She provides an overview of contributors so far this year in the reports below. We extend our sincere thanks to all our speakers for giving up their time to engage, inspire, inform and educate.

Ms Casey Herbert

Casey Herbert is a graduate of the NFTS, who has produced a number of films and TV series, including surprise lockdown hit ‘Containment’. Casey gave us a fascinating insight into how films are made and explained that, although one day a year might involve a night at a film premiere, the remaining 364 days involved very little glamour and lots of hard work. She outlined the challenges facing the film industry since the pandemic struck. But her message was one of optimism as she explained how the industry was adapting, with small screen dramas rising in popularity and enjoying greater commercial success.

Siobhan Benita , a former top-ranking Civil Servant who ran as an Independent in the 2020 London Mayoral election, regaled us with tales of campaigning against Boris Johnson in 2012 and shared her views on the need for greater diversity within the Civil Service. She spoke informatively about her decision to join the Liberal Democrat party following the Brexit vote.

Mr Zain Abbas

Zain Abbas , (OI, 2011 and graduate of Imperial College) now works in the FinTech sector. Zain explained the lessons he has learned in the ten years since leaving IPS and outlined the skills young graduates need to thrive in the workplace. He encouraged all pupils to learn coding skills.

Mr James Blitz

James Blitz’s wide-ranging journalistic career at the Financial Times includes time as Whitehall Editor, Political Editor, Defence Editor and leader writer. He entertained us with stories of interviewing every British Prime Minister since Margaret Thatcher and his tales of debating against Boris Johnson at the Oxford Union were a delight! Anecdotes featuring Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Berlusconi were fascinating and his experiences of reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan gave an illuminating insight into the work of the Security Services. In conclusion, there was lively discussion between Mr Blitz and the pupils about the differences between news broadcasting in the US and the UK and the changing face of journalism.

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Dr Kevin Waite is Assistant Professor of Modern American History at Durham University. He joined us live from New York to deliver a fascinating lecture on US politics. Dr Waite set the recent riots on Capitol Hill in historical context, drawing parallels between ‘the mob’ and the actions of supporters of the Confederate States in the early stages of the US Civil War. He went on to outline his predictions for Biden’s presidency and for the likely shape of the 2024 electoral run. With much lively discussion about the future of US politics, this lecture whetted the appetites of many of our LVI pupils considering reading History at university.

Sir Vincent Fean , former Consul-General to Jerusalem, gave a personal view on the Israel-Palestine conflict and outlined careers in the diplomatic service. He spoke passionately to our pupils about the benefits of modern languages and the importance to Britain of maintaining an impartial Civil Service.