Giving a talk to State 6th Formers Next Month on Success

John Major , ffs. Or Gus O'Donnell . At least they came from ordinary backgrounds (both South Londoners!).

I'll think of a few more names in a minute.

45 minutes is very longest you might hold them for.

Ok. My best guess:

You're a successful boxer?

Many of them outperform the independent sector hence their popularity.
My school is similar, however, many of out successes aren't famous! They are very successful and entertaining speakers. A successful old student of the specific school in question would achieve more!
Your examples really do need changing if you want your talk to be successful.

'I am not typical of the kind of speakers they normally bring to the school. By telling them that the world is, quite literally, their oyster, and that I would consider their CVs (provided they get decent grades) as equal to any of the schools mentioned, this will demonstrate to them that it really doesn't matter.'

I think those kids would rightly hear your talk as an insult to their intelligence.

And the world is not, "quite literally, their oyster"

Can you broaden your definition of "success" away from Rich/Famous
^This, with knobs on!! many rich and famous are not particularly happy and not particularly successful in their personal lives, statistically more likely to experience addiction divorce and suicide,than your average Joe.

I'm really at a loss as to why you have been invited to do this.

Perhaps you could put the school in touch with Future First to arrange a speaker?

I hadn't even realised the schools on your list were state, to be honest.

I find this an odd premise. Are these kids really thinking they won't get on in life because they're not from an independent school? That's not what we thought (but I accept an ancient) and where there were barriers to us achieving were apathy, distractions and low aspirations. It wasn't because we thought private school kids were getting the good jobs. Isn't 98% of the population eductated in the state sector?
I wouldn't have expected any difference between a kid leaving the Tiffin and a kid leaving a good independent school so I'm not sure at all what your list shows.

Have a look at the Sutton Trust, which awards Fulbright scholarships to the U.S. Ivy League to UK state school students from medium to low income backgrounds.

I mean seriously OP, have you even googled this? It's not hard to find better examples than you've managed to come up with!

Can you broaden your definition of "success" away from Rich/Famous (which exclude the vast majority of us from being "successful") to something more realistic: I.e. Happy, fulfilled with a challenging but achievable career, able to buy a house (is that even remotely likely for London teenagers these days?), a car and raise children?

And also: "the world is, quite literally, their oyster" - I think you might need someone to check you know the meaning of the words you use.

Sorry, but be honest, you've got no idea, have you?

Gordon Ramsay, Bradley Wiggins?

Also, real success takes time, using examples of people who are rich and famous by 28 (10 years after leaving) is not a good approach, too "get rich quick" to be honest. My DH went to a state school, he is a very successful plastic surgeon now, but he wasn't at 28/30. That is how it is for most very successful people.

So why are you posting if you don't want advice?

One of my friends went to a very dodgy South London state 6th form. She got fairly poor A-levels, but was sufficiently switched-on and determined to get herself into a Foundation Medicine course, which she passed with flying colours, picking up an intercalated Masters along the way. She is now a doctor and I would trust her just as much, if not more, than many of the AAA+ high-fliers I studied with.

She is a far more "real" example than all those listed from privileged families who attended highly selective grammars which just happen not to be fee-paying.

Robert Peston is the son of a peer!

God, PLEASE, do not use people like Euan Blair (what has he done exactly?) or rappers/singers/actresses/one in a million type jobs. Look up prominent doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs. This smacks of "well Bill Gates dropped out of uni so I'll be a bazillonaire if I do to". Those kinds of profession, footballer, singer etc, need a ton of work through childhood, telling a 16 year old about some of those professions is pretty useless.

There are an unfathomable amount of very successful people who went to state school, I can't really believe that's your list to be honest

As for using the Oratory as an example

Ok OP. Stick with it if you want. But don't mention those whose family connections made it effectively impossible for them to fail. Otherwise the kids will ignore you as talking crap, and rightly so.

What's your experience of state schools, OP?

What about Ed Miliband, Zadie Smith, Robert Peston, Daniel Craig, Kate Moss, Sir Alan Sugar....?

A piss take if ever I saw one.

Agreed, unless you really get into the mindset of the kids you're talking to, you may as well not bother.

From your OP, your message seems to be that unless you're rich, well connected and go to a top state school, you may as well forget it.

Not really what I would want to hear the students I teach being told.

As is, I'd expect you to lose the audience completely in the first three minutes and have an uphill struggle from then on keeping them engaged. It'll be hideous for you. Honestly.

I'm originally from Croydon, but have since moved away. Firstly I think you need to use a few bog standard comprehensive schools as examples, otherwise your presentation will be irrelevant and meaningless. Also, I think you need to use schools that aren't necessarily in the London area.

I realise that your presentation will take place in South London, but students need to understand that life exists outside of London so using a couple of examples of schools in other parts of the UK would be a good idea.

For example why not use someone like Jessica Ennis, a well known footballer, an actor or a well known author.

Your audience will switch off with your examples unless you choose people that they can identify with.