Every school and every year group is different, but some topics come up again and again when teachers ask me to speak. These are my ten most requested talks for students, along with the key points each one covers. Every session can be tailored to the age of your students and the goals of your event.
1. Perseverance
Every student hits setbacks. This talk is about determination and persistence: how to keep going when things get hard, how a growth mindset turns failure into feedback, and how to build the resilience to bounce back from disappointment and adversity.
2. Mental health
Looking after your mind matters as much as looking after your body. We talk openly about mental health awareness, spotting the early signs that something is wrong, simple self-care habits, and how feeling well supports better results at school. Above all, students learn that asking for help is a strength.
3. Accountability
Success starts with taking responsibility. This session explores respect, trust and acting with integrity, owning your choices, learning from your mistakes and using them to grow rather than to make excuses.
4. Limiting distractions
Phones, notifications and social media compete for every minute of a young person’s attention. Students learn how cutting distractions improves focus, memory and recall, how to beat procrastination, and how to build the self-discipline and study habits that make learning stick.
5. Friendship groups
The people around you shape who you become. This talk covers choosing positive, supportive friends, recognising and resisting peer pressure, standing up to bullying, and what a healthy friendship really looks like.
6. Self-belief
Confidence is a skill that can be built. We look at setting goals, sticking with difficult tasks, taking sensible risks and replacing self-doubt and anxiety with positive thinking habits that raise self-esteem.
7. Exam motivation and tips
Exams are a test of preparation as much as knowledge. Students pick up practical strategies on goal setting, study plans, organisation, regular revision, taking breaks, healthy routines, asking for help and avoiding burnout before the big day.
8. Staying focused
Multitasking feels productive but rarely is. This talk shows students how to prioritise tasks, create a good study environment, manage their time and use self-discipline to get more done in less time.
9. Behaviour
Every action has a consequence. We explore respect, accountability and the impact of positive and negative behaviour on yourself and others, along with self-awareness, learning from mistakes and the value of good role models.
10. The importance of working hard
Talent opens doors, but effort keeps them open. This session is about dedication and a strong work ethic, what the academic and professional world will expect, taking initiative, being proactive, and showing grit when challenges and setbacks come along.
Choosing the right talk
Many schools combine two or three of these themes into one assembly or workshop, for example perseverance, self-belief and exam motivation ahead of mock exams. If you have a particular issue you would like me to address, I’m always happy to shape a talk around it.
