Apply to Host a Talk | Speakers for Schools

Apply to host a talk

A national network helping state schools access today’s leading figures and beyond.

Welcome! You are on the right page to join our national school network.

Remember, we’re not a speaker bureau or request service. We’re a national network giving your students access to influential people to help raise aspirations.

Your application stays with us year on year so we can help provide free speakers as well as signpost like-minded services and activities for your students – like free events, virtual talks, teacher resources and wider careers programmes. Please see more below for the requirements to join our network.

Please note, we will record this information on our systems in accordance with our privacy notice.

If you have any questions about your application, please call one of our Engagement Managers on +44 (0) 300 365 5888 and press 2 for Inspiration.

Below outlines key requirements that ensure the programme can help your school/college, helps us keep the programme entirely free and ensures that your request aligns with what our speakers are able to provide through donating their time.

Before I apply, I confirm the following:







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Main Address





School background




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It's very important to provide direct, up-to-date contact details for all parties listed below as applications may be filled at any time during the school year and require prompt response.

In this section please note:
  • All main correspondence/notification for the programme is via email.
  • In the event we are not able to reach you about a speaker, the application is removed from the system and this could affect the success of further applications from the school.
  • Due to the nature of our events and speakers, Head Teacher/Principals/Senior Management Team need to be aware and support further staff applying, and should be included in the planning of any Speakers for Schools event. There is more about SMT involvement in the Planning Guides and FAQ.





This is to reach you about your application directly therefore we cannot accept info@, enquiries@ or office@ email addresses. This should be your work email.


This is so we can contact you regarding a successful application and will not be used for marketing purposes.


We only communicate with you when it is about your application, participation or important updates, including in our termly newsletters. As a part of helping your school or college, our newsletters signpost even more opportunities and related events available, from videos to curriculum-linked resources. Please know we will never pass your details on to third parties or other charities without your consent.
We also run our Experience programme, a free safe-guarded web portal that gives young people access to industry leading Work Experience placements, both in person and virtually.

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The following sections help us pair a suitable speaker with your school, trying to match to similar preferences for the event. Schools are notified after a Speaker is available and has agreed to visit the school.

In this section please note:
  • Each section explains how this information is used to find you a speaker, please read carefully.
  • We cannot always match exactly to topics, but endeavour to use these points as a guideline for finding you a great speaker for your school or college. 
  • Speakers may see parts of this section of your application when considering schools they can visit this year.
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Focus of Topic area for the Talk

We always try to consider a preferred focus (or topic) when filling a school request, but please keep in mind we are here to help more state schools access leading industry and academic figures for free so will prioritise providing a speaker generally. The topic areas below are used as a general guideline and both relate to a speaker’s area of expertise, as well as the potential topic of the talk itself – but remember you would be tailoring your talk once we can find a speaker for your school. We try to fit within one or more of the topics selected, and may combine these where possible. Please select a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 5 tickboxes to indicate potential topics and speaker backgrounds preferred:
Teacher's Statement
This is the part of the application where we hope schools can share their vision for a talk and that we may share with speakers when matching your application. Points to consider below:
  • Why are you applying for a talk from one of our speakers?
  • What are you most keen for students to gain from the talk? 
  • Is there anything generally you would like the speaker to focus on?
Audience for the talk
We expect schools to select a group of students once we have contacted you about a successful application. However if you have an idea of the group size for the talk, please indicate here. Please note:
  • As our network of speakers donate their time and travel once per annum to keep these talks free, please note that the event requires a minimum of 50 students in attendance although many events have 200+ students for an event. If you have a special circumstance affecting potential audience size please Contact Us before submitting 
  • Speakers generally prefer to speak to a student group of mixed ability, especially those students who need extra encouragement. 
  • For audiences please keep in mind speakers are offering their time for an assembly talk during the school day unless they tell you otherwise once we have put you in touch.
Please enter a number greater than or equal to 50.
Thank you for taking the time to fill this form in! Once you submit this, we will be in touch to arrange a talk as soon as a speaker becomes available in your area. Please also be familiar with our Privacy Policy as you submit this form.

Contact Information