US ambassador in a school visit to trump all others
As the US President’s official representative in the UK, Ambassador Matthew Barzun has been much in demand recently.
But fresh from a whirlwind of appointments and press calls following Donald Trump’s election victory, Mr Barzun found time to visit Oakwood Park Grammar School in Maidstone to discuss what Churchill called the ‘special relationship’ between America and the UK.
He was greeted by head boy Ben Gowers and head girl Chloe Owen, who then took him to meet other sixth-formers.
Oakwood Park has a close connection with the Churchill legacy. Not only did its pupils win the Churchill Public Speaking Competition this year at Chartwell, the former Prime Minister’s family home, but they were also invited to the Palace of Westminster as part of the commemorations of the anniversary of his death. The school’s A-level history pupils are also regular visitors to the Churchill archives based at the University of Cambridge. The students grilled Mr Barzun on the future of the special relationship in the light of the impending Trump presidency.
The school’s director of sixth form, Abigail Hern, had met the ambassador at a reception at Winfield House, his London home, and grabbed the opportunity to invite him to the school.
She said: “I was very excited when he agreed!”
Head teacher Kevin Moody said: “I am delighted that the ambassador took time from his busy schedule to talk to our sixth-formers at a time of great significance in the history of both our countries.”
The ambassador was accompanied by the Minister for Schools, Nick Gibb, who is a supporter of grammar schools.
Pupils gave him a tour of their new Centenary Building, named after the school’s 100-year anniversary which falls next year.