We were honoured to welcome ITV News at Ten presenter Julie Etchingham to Oxford High School as the speaker for our bi-annual Ada Benson Lecture. As a respected journalists on British television, Julie has spent three decades reporting on national and international affairs, interviewing six Prime Ministers, anchoring the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and covering elections on both sides of the Atlantic.
But on this occasion, it was Julie herself who was in the interview seat, graciously and generously responding to questions posed by our Sixth Form students, who had not only organised the event but also led the discussion with remarkable confidence, insight and poise. Julie spoke candidly about her journey through the world of journalism, sharing reflections on the challenges of working in a high-profile media career while balancing family life.
We were also delighted to use the evening as an opportunity to raise funds for the Sixth Form’s chosen charity this year: SSNAP Oxford (Support for the Sick Newborn and their Parents), a local organisation that supports families with newborns receiving care at the John Radcliffe Hospital.
