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

[motiv8ionalguru]

Fellow Mumsnetters,

I am to be the keynote speaker at South London state 6th form federation school next month. My speech, which will take approximately 45 minutes - 1 hour, will focus on high state school achievers in their 30's. The idea being that the students can visualise where they might be in 10 years from now. This institution has an unenviable reputation for drugs and crime, poor results and low aspiration. My address will (hopefully) illustrate what is possible 10 years from now. I am still penning the draft, though I have come up with the following individuals (from South London) who have achieved a lot in the 10 or so years since leaving their respective state schools. Could you help me identify any other pupils?

Euan Blair (London Oratory - now a high-flyer in the world of banking)
Paul Sackey (John Fisher School - England and Stade Francais rugby player)
Will Seaward (John Fisher - comedian and actor performing at Edin. Fringe)
Hayley Attwell (London Oratory - actress)
Johnny Lee Miller (Tiffin - actor)
Safety Fire (London Oratory - a band)
Oritse (London Oratory - JLS a rap group)
Rafe Spall (Haberdashery School - actor and son of Tim Spall)

Kind regards,

D.

What's your experience of state schools, OP?

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.

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

Robert Peston is the son of a peer!

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.

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

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.

Gordon Ramsay, Bradley Wiggins?

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

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.

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!

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.

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

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?

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.

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

'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.

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.

Ok. My best guess:

You're a successful boxer?

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.

A really nice example of what Fiona Bruce said when she went back to her school.

I can't tell if this is a piss take or not

If you want to inspire teens they have to relate to what you are telling them. You are telling them that the very best which 99% of them won't be , who went to extremely good state schools that 100% of them DONT go to who, no doubt, had supportive parents which a lot won't have made it big!! Whoop de do, that's really going to strike home with them. You might as well just show them a few episodes of Britains Got Talent.

You would be far better to bring in some recent past students from their school who have done well. 'Done well' can and should include a wide range of outcomes not just Oxbridge etc.

If you genuinely care about this issue then the best thing would be to decline the invitation.

Ye gods
Those kids in a state school bit beneath you are they Madam
You're just taking the piss

What - best advice so far!

I agree with indomitable.

If this is genuine (and from what you've posted I hope it's not)..... how about changing your definition of success. Is it really rich and famous or going to oxbridge. Or could it be being happy in your own skin, or starting your own business, or contributing to the community. Maybe get then to think about what they think of as successful and how they can get there.
Concentrating on the privileged offspring of the rich and famous seems a wasted opportunity.