On 2 May we were delighted to welcome Bridget Kendall, BBC Diplomatic Correspondent and Stephen Perse Foundation alumna, to deliver a talk about her career and help inspire our students to live out their dream careers.

Around 300 students, parents and alumnae gathered to hear Bridget’s journey from a shy 7-year-old in the Junior School to outstanding international journalist.

Bridget highlighted how learning Russian had changed her whole direction and led her to Russia, where she lived through the collapse of the Soviet Union , and ultimately, became best placed to write the first pages of history for the dramatically changing political landscape of Russia. This role is one that Bridget has embraced over the past 30 years and as a result is very highly regarded in her field.

It was really interesting to hear Bridget credit her choice of career back to a day at Senior School when her class was visited by a former pupil, Jane Schoenberg. The visiting alumna had studied Russian at university and won a rare scholarship to the Soviet Union. In time, Bridget emulated this achievement - an experience that inspired her and opened the door to her eventual career as a BBC correspondent.

The insight that Bridget provided was truly inspiring for those in the audience and we are very grateful that she was able to take time to speak with us all in such detail.