‘When you realise how magnificent you are, no one can take that away from you’ was David McQueen's take home message to Weald School students attending the school’s annual prize giving evening, The Gold Awards.

Around 800 students, proud parents and esteemed guests from the community all gathered to celebrate another outstanding year.  Students at The Weald excel in a wide range of skills throughout the year and this annual event recognises exceptional successes for effort, progress, and wider contribution to the school, leadership and attainment in specific subjects. 

The guest speaker David McQueen added a motivational and energetic address which echoed the school’s ethos of positive commitment and engagement. It was clear that David made a difference to all in the room. A large number of students left inspired, not only be their magnificent achievements, by David’s infectious ‘can-do, believe in yourself’ attitude.

David McQueen is an entrepreneur, international speaker and coach He has worked with blue chip clients in the corporate sector as well as organisations in the third and public sector, including Virgin Media, Barclaycard, HSBC, RBS, BP, Shell, Cisco, Morgan Stanley, Pearson, JP Morgan, BBC, Channel 4, to name but a few. David was also the host of Pioneers, a Virgin Media production for young entrepreneurs and Vocation, Vocation, Vocation, a Channel 4 career programme for teenagers.  He has been inspiring students and teachers for the last 25 years using humour, anecdotes and data on study skills, leadership and careers. He set up Magnificent Generation when he was 33, 14 years ago, and has since been touring schools across the country to help young people. His passion is helping young people and those who work with them to be magnificent. A mantra instilled in him from a young age – “if you have an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life, take that opportunity” – has influenced his attitude and work.