Frequently Asked Questions
About the Programme
Do schools have to pay?
No. Thanks to the speakers who are giving their time for free, it is free to all state secondary schools and colleges in the UK.
Who is eligible to apply for a speaker from S4S?
All state secondary schools and colleges in the UK are eligible to apply for a speaker. Due to high demand we cannot arrange talks in primary schools, but do have a sister programme that offers classroom talks and links with employers where primary schools are eligible: www.InspiringtheFuture.org.
How do schools/colleges apply for a speaker?
Schools and colleges are asked to complete a simple online form, giving details about their school and what topic they would like a speaker to talk about. We then find a suitable speaker based on their expertise and availability. Most of our speakers have very busy diaries and we are therefore arranging speaking events a few months in advance.
Is a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check needed?
For these talks there is no need to be CRB checked as the speaker will not have unsupported or unsupervised access to students. School staff is present at the talk and involved in every stage of the visit. However, for other activities that might come out of the talk – such as mentoring - CRB checks may be required.
Where does Speakers for Schools operate?
Speakers for Schools is a UK-wide programme. We will be hosting the first talks in England with launches in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland planned for coming months.
How many talks does a school/college or college get?
This will ultimately depend on supply and demand. In the initial phase, even though we have 700 speakers, we will probably have to restrict schools to one talk per year. Our plan is to film some talks and put them online.
Who runs Speakers for Schools
On a day-to-day basis Speakers for Schools is managed by a full time programme manager with part time support from a project assistant. As an organisation, Speakers for Schools was set up and is run by Robert Peston and the Education and Employers Taskforce, with online support from our web partners Miura. For more information on who we are please see: www.speakers4schools.org/about
How is Speakers for Schools funded?
Speakers for Schools is part of the charity the Education and Employers Taskforce. So that the project has the best chance of thriving, costs are kept to a minimum, in part thanks to the generosity of speakers in covering their own travel expenses and in part by using the internet as much as we can to match schools with speakers. In addition to donations from supporters, Speakers for Schools has benefited from pro bono web design work provided by Miura (www.miura.gi). A full list of supporters can be found www.speakers4schools.org/about/supporters.
We are waiting to host a speaker/have already hosted a speaker; are there other opportunities we could take advantage of in the meantime?
Yes - Inspiring the Future, a free service currently being developed by the Education and Employers Taskforce, will see 100,000 people from all sectors and professions going into schools and colleges to talk about their jobs, careers and the education route they took. To register and take part please visit: www.inspiringthefuture.org/
About the Talks
When will we know if our school/college will be hosting a speaker?
Once a school/college and speaker are matched both parties will be contacted by the project coordinator to check that both want to proceed. Assuming they do, they will then be put directly in touch with each other to organise the details and logistics of the actual visit.
How are schools/colleges and speakers matched?
Schools and speakers are matched based on the topics and areas of interest they selected when they filled out the initial application. Each school also provides a statement to help in finding a speaker with appropriate interests and expertise. To help manage requests, speakers have provided their availability and preferred topics, not disclosed to the school, which we then marry with school requests.
How does the school/speaker prepare for the talk? How is the talk planned?
Once the talk is confirmed, schools/colleges and the speakers office are put in contact to take the planning forward as best suits them. To assist with the planning, we have provided tips in the S4S Planning Guides which can be downloaded here: www.speakers4schools.org/guides. This covers everything from an initial exploratory phone call to the logistics on the day of the visit.
What are the talks about?
The talks provide insights into the big issues of the day, or can be more specialised – and in all cases will include the speakers sharing their relevant experiences with students. It is important to emphasise that these talks are not about which careers to pursue or descriptions of jobs, although of course they may cover some of that. However, if you are interested in career-orientated talks please visit: www.inspiringthefuture.org/
How long does the talk last?
The talks last around 20-30 minutes, with a 30-40 minute Question and Answer session, so that the students can interrogate and offer thoughts. It may be sensible to offer a coffee before or after with the head teacher, and the speaker may have time for a tour of the school. The whole visit should last somewhere between one and two hours.
Who pays for a speaker's travel?
So that the programme is free for schools, speakers pay their own travel expenses.
What happens once the school/college and speaker are put in touch?
Once a speaker has agreed to the talk, we liaise with the school, confirm dates, and send contact details and other relevant information to both. The speaker and school/college then discuss the final arrangements and coordinate logistics to see what best suites them. In order to ensure that arrangements go smoothly we send a document to both with simple suggestions and checklists.
What happens after the talk?
The talk is planned as a stand-alone event. However, some speakers and schools/colleges may want to form a longer term relationship. Work experience and follow up visits may be possible, but should not be taken for granted.
I put in an application for my school/college months ago; why I haven't I heard back yet?
We try to match as many applications as possible, but there are some locations and topic specifications that are more difficult to match than others. We only contact you if we believe we have a speaker that can both make it to your school or college and is appropriate for your request. We appreciate your patience and understanding while we process applications. As a note, we do expect there will be more requests than we have speakers, and we will not be able to fill all the applications we receive. We encourage schools and colleges to sign up for further opportunities at: www.inspiringthefuture.org.