School that regularly invites celebrities to talk to pupils

[Ceramiq]

What would you think of a primary school that regularly invited celebrities in to talk to pupils aged 2-11 about their life success? Think sportspeople, designers, Michelin starred chefs, singers...

I would think that the children were very lucky.

I would think there were better things to spend money on than so many speakers' fees.

That it's a private school with a budget for speakers' fees

I would question the benefit for the cost - both financial and time, the curriculum is busy and regular talks will eat into time they could be doing something else.

Regardless of school type, this is the very definition of spaffing money up the wall and there's always something better to spend it on than more than one of these per year. There are only so many times children need to hear "I worked really hard and got to where I wanted to be" from different faces. It reminds me of school assemblies where every different teacher thought they were the very first one to think of doing The Good Samaritan.
They could just put TED talks on for free, instead.

I think it would be more beneficial to have a mixture of speakers who the kids could interact with who lived or served in the local area. So as well as a few well-known people it would be worth having a local business person, the local MP, a local councillor and a couple of OAPs who did something interesting in their lives.

I work in a school and we frequently receive emails offering a visit from an Olympian or para Olympian free of charge.

I should add when I was at primary school we talked to and interviewed the local chip shop guy. His son used to go to our school.

Then a few years later I went to the A level college his son had gone to. The son turned up to explain his job and how he got there.

Agreed.

I doubt these speakers are doing it for free so not only is it not as beneficial as a broad assortment of diverse speakers but it's also a collosal waste of money from and already very tight budget.

Depends on whether they offer anything of use to children or whether the "celebrities" are simply indulging in their own ego? If there's a steady stream of them with the school presenting them as "good role models", I'd be checking what messages they're giving to children?

It's good to be sceptical - there are far too many self identified role models and "experts" being presented to children when the reality is they're nothing of the sort. So I'd research and then challenge the school if they're failing to exercise due diligence.

There's a guy works down the chip shop swears he's Elvis...

.... that would be a talk I'd love to go to!

It depends on who is the speaker how the talk will go. An author or poet would be interested in exploring literature with the children.

The local MP, who actually maybe one of the more famous ones, would be interested in finding out what the kids know about politics and what an MP does.

Yes, I don't think these visits cost the school anything.

We were talking to and interviewing different parents about stereotypes.

The son became a civil engineer. Even though most of us were not interested in becoming civil engineers he had the largest number of students listening to him. out of the all the people who came back to talk to us. He made us realise that there was more than one way to get qualifications and a job. He apparently came back a couple more times.

Yes this is quite common.

I'd love to know what paralympians you've met.

Are the speakers fellow parents?

Our school is lucky to have a good few media linked people. So we have had TV presenters, national jewels and musicians that would be revered by their parents.

The biggest success was a very glamorous para Olympian medal winner with her dog.

My son was very impressed with the dog and fluffy dress 🤣.

When I was in juniors, Chris Akabusi came to talk to us about sports

I'm assuming these people are relatively local to the school.

Very lucky kids, it doesn't matter what their skills are the overwhelming message will be you have to learn, train, and practice to get to the top. And they have the world at their feet.

I was amazed listening to Judy Murray at a work conference, she was very inspiring to listen to even as an adult.
Recognising when Andy needed better coaches inc people to coach him in interview skills.
Recognising that Jamie wouldn't make it as a singles player but he could have a good career and success as a doubles player.

Lots do it free of charge, I would think what lucky children.

Is this a private school and are the speakers parents or people with close personal connections to the parents? If so, good on them and the kids are very lucky

Lots do it for free to improve their 'social value image'. Or it's an expensive private school with parents going in to give talks.

I was in panto with his DD many moons ago 😂😂

@itsgettingweird

Haha love this!

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