Sackville Lectures

The Sackville Lectures are talks given to Sevenoaks pupils by individuals who have become eminent in their professions or in public life. The lectures are named in honour of the long-standing connection between Sevenoaks and the Sackville family, many of whom have been benefactors to, and governors of, the School.

Future Lectures

Summer term

Friday 1 June. Professor Lord Hennessy, Attlee Professor of Contemporary British History, Queen Mary University of London

Past Speakers include

Brigadier Jonny Bourne OBE. Tuesday 1 May 2012

Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, neuroscientist, University College London. Tuesday 8 November

Dr Charles Saumarez Smith, CBE, Chief Executive, The Royal Academy. Friday 24 February

Simon Armitage, CBE, poet and author. Monday 16 January 2012

Adam Boulton, Political Editor, Sky News. Thursday 26 January 2012

Professor Jonathan Bate CBE FBA, Provost of Worcester College, Oxford. Tuesday 22 March 2011

Mr Stuart Laing, Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and formerly HM Ambassador to Kuwait. Wednesday 19 January 2011

Professor Gideon Lack, distinguished immunologist. 9 November 2010

Michael Billington, theatre critic. 22 March 2010

Sir Nicholas Winton, organiser of the Kindertransport rescues 1938-9. 17 March 2010

Professor Tom McLeish, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research), University of Durham. 18 January 2010

Friday Sixth Form Talks

Every second Friday in Michaelmas and Lent terms, a speaker is invited to address the Sixth Form on a topic of personal interest. The intention is to educate, inform, challenge, provoke and entertain. Speakers talk on a wide variety of topics, from crime and the law, through to personal experiences of adventure, travel and overcoming adversity. Recent (and future) speakers include:

Virginia Nicholson, "Millions like us", Women's Lives in War and Peace. 23 September 2011

Andy Fletcher, "Life, the Universe and Everything". 9 September 2011

Mike Hurst: ‘Every Song Tells a Story’, A History of Popular Music. 21 January 2011

Baroness Andrews: English Heritage. 3 December 2010

Dan Evans: Michelangelo. 19 November 2010

Dr Andrew Fletcher: Life, the Universe and Everything. 5 November 2010

Prof Chris McManus: Asymmetry in the human body. 24 September 2010

Visiting Fellowship programme

Sevenoaks School is committed to establishing and maintaining links with higher education institutions, and those working independently in academic, literary, artistic and other creative fields. Visiting Fellows are invited to immerse themselves in the life of the school for three days, sharing not only their love of subject but also other aspects of their scholarship and profession. In addition to meeting with staff and students, and observing lessons, each Visiting Fellow gives a lecture on a specialist topic of their choosing. Sevenoaks School welcomes offers to become a Visiting Fellow. Recent (and future) visitors include:

Catherine Bailey-Gluckman, German and English. 23-25 April 2012

Dr Nicholas Treanor, Philosophy, Churchill College, Cambridge. 19-20 January 2012

Professor Imre Leader, Mathematics, Trinity College, Cambridge. 12-13 January 2012

Dr Kelly Moule, Admissions Tutor, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol. 8-10 September 2010

Dr Tim Johnston, Research Fellow in History, St Peter’s College, Oxford. 9-11 September 2009

Dr Andrew Beeby, Reader, Department of Chemistry, University of Durham. 17-19 March 2009