The school was honoured to welcome Mr Stuart Laing, Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, as our latest Sackville Lecturer. A career diplomat, who has held senior posts throughout the Middle East, including the Ambassadorship to Kuwait, Mr Laing spoke to our Sixth Form on the topic of ‘Britain and Arabia’.

Drawing on his decades of experience in this region, Mr Laing offered the perfect summary of the diplomatic challenges presented by a range of issues, including Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the future of the Gulf States. This fascinating exploration was underpinned by a clear explanation of the historical context, including the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and the West’s role in the formation of states such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Mr Laing kindly responded to a number of questions from the audience, and continued the discussion with a group of students over lunch. We were also delighted to have as our guests a group of students from Knole Academy, and their Head, Mrs Mary Boyle.