- Home
- Enrichment
- TEDdington Talks
TEDdington talks are part of our future ready programme which works closely with businesses in the local area to develop a series of TED Talks for students.
Following the pandemic, we feel rebuilding links with local businesses is essential for our community to thrive and is just one of the many reasons that we have looked to develop these links within the local area.
The variety of talks will enable students to work on developing key employability skills away from the classroom whist also looking to open students’ minds to a variety of jobs and the skills they entail. Each week there will be a talk from an expert in their field of expertise – some of these talks will be directed to specific students, some will be available through a sign-up option. These will be promoted each week through tutor times and will be on the interactive screens around the school.
| Who | Talk Title | Subject / Skill Links | Brief Outline of Talk |
|---|---|---|---|
Caitlin Limmer
| 40 minutes | All subjectsListeningProblem solvingStaying positiveAiming highTeamworkLeadership | In 2004, Caitlin’s husband was told Caitlin had just 40 minutes to live. The illness and an additional rare blood cancer MDS has made Caitlin grab every opportunity life has thrown her way ever since – and she is committed to enabling others to do the same. The talk brings three life ingredients that Caitlin has learnt that will get you thinking about your life in a more excited and motivated way. |
Richard AlstonProfessor of Roman History
Royal Holloway University of London | Leading and Team Building in Crisis | All subjectsLeadershipTeamwork | Modes of leadership tend to be inspirational, emphasising the achievements of the great leader. In such a mode, the leader is expected to have the answers. Leadership is about building teams and community. It is about relationships and trust. Lavishly illustrated with examples of what not to do from history, I talk through challenges and methods of effective leadership. |
Ed Warner
GB Wheelchair Rugby & Palace for Life Foundation | Lessons from the world of sport | All subjectsListeningProblem solvingStaying positiveAiming highLeadershipTeamwork | GB Wheelchair Rugby team overcoming adversity to win Gold at the Tokyo Paralympics. Life and career lessons from my 15 years leading sports in the UK. The highs and lows – from working with coaches who help athletes win gold medals to dealing with drugs cheats. Advice on how to get into the sports industry as a career choice. |
Unilever
| Supply Chain & Marketing | ApprenticeshipsBusinessProblem solvingCreativityTeamworkSpeaking | The talk will be around Unilever’s careers program, Unilever as an organisation, opportunities within Unilever (apprenticeships, industrial placement years and the graduate scheme). You will get to hear personal experiences from Ali (Marketing Apprentice) and Ayse (Supply Chain). |
Natalie O'Rourke
RDA (Riding for the Disabled Association) | Believe to | All subjectsStaying positiveAiming highProblem solvingTeamworkLeadership | Natalie O’Rourke MBE will talk about the heart-wrenching and heart-warming story of how she raised over £1.5M to save Park Lane Stables in Teddington. Natalie will talk about how she then went onto write a book and got an MBE.This talk is about standing up for what you believe in and never giving up; believing that you can achieve anything no matter what obstacles stand in your way and having the resilience to see things through to a successful conclusion. |
Sue Wallman | What does it take to be a published author? | EnglishCreativityAiming highStaying positive | How do you get published – and how do you stay published? What are the highs and lows of a writing career? This talk will give the inside track on everything Sue has learned about the publishing industry as a magazine journalist and author |
Gabriel Stein | We were lucky | Holocaust testimony | Recounts the story of the speaker’s mother and her family, and how they survived the Holocaust in Warsaw and the Lodz Ghetto. |
Lizzy McManus | Careers in Psychology | SociologyPsychologyAiming highLeadership | The talk with cover careers in psychology, with a particular focus on Clinical Psychology. We will explain what different types of psychologists do, how to become a psychologist and the importance of the profession being representative of the people we support! |
Dr Hui | Discovery | ScienceHistoryCreativityAiming highProblem solving | How scientific discoveries are really made, from paper aeroplanes to killer whales to pulsars. |
Helen Steers
Partner at Pantheon Ventures (UK) LLP | GAIN (Girls Are INvestors)Why work in investing? | BusinessInvestment | Why working in investing? What is investing? Types of investments. Who are the investors?Introduction to GAIN (Girls Are Investors) - a charity set up by investment professionals to improve gender diversity in investment management by building a talent pipeline of entry-level female and non-binary candidates. Their focus is to generate more and better prepared women for investment firms through early engagement with sixth form and university students. |
Lord Peter Chadlington | Advising Prime Ministers to international companies- what’s the secret? | HistoryPoliticsAll skills | Lord Chadlington’s career spans politics, public relations, and journalism. Lord Chadlington has advised various Prime Ministers – including Sir John Major and David Cameron. He was made a member of the House of Lords in 1996.Most recently he founded his most recent strategic communications firm – The Chadlington Consultancy. He is Chairman and advisor to various international companies. |
Robin Jowit
| Education Problems in Ukraine | HistoryPolitics | The war in Ukraine has seriously disrupted the education system with electricity shortages affecting the heating system, use of computers and the internet. Regular missile alarms requiring pupils to shelter in bunkers and mental health issues arising from a range of experiences. |
University of Essex
| Exploring Higher Education (Making Choices) | All subjects | This talk will seek to explain what University entails and the opportunities available to you, looking in detail at the benefits of university and why you should go, things to think about when choosing your course and specific university and briefly outlines UCAS and the application process. |
Dr Kim Salmons | Everything begins with an idea | MathsScienceEnglishHistoryBusinessCreativityProblem solving | Dr Kim Salmons will talk through a brief history of Creativity. This talk will explore fundamental theories of creativity. Dr Salmons will discuss why the imagination and our ability to articulate our thoughts and ideas remains one of the most important life skills, not just for individual fulfilment but for the future of society. |
Sandra Cooper
| True Crime & Legal Profession | LawHistory | How the law affects our lives, the routes to becoming a lawyer and how criminal lawyers interpret law/criminal offences. This talk is perfect for anyone wanting to know more about the criminal justice system |
Munira Wilson
Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham | From charity to MP | TeamworkResiliencePublic speakingListeningLeadership | A general, broad talk on Munira’s career path – what skills Munira had to develop from university through her charity and private sector career to becoming an MP. |
