“Well I’m never going to the dentist again!”; “That was so cool, I thought a coroner was a doctor but it’s not, I never thought about being a coroner before”; “I could have listened to him for another hour”. These are some of the many comments from our Lower Sixth were after Andrew Barkley (1980-89) came to talk to them on Monday 23 May, 2022.

Andrew wanted to explain his career pathway from school to his current job and to talk about a profession that is not widely known or understood. The pupils were really engaged and before he could complete his planned talk questions were being fired-in which resulted in an extremely dynamic, interactive and informative session. Andrew was keen that the pupils get the most from their afternoon - and they certainly did. Lower Sixth now have a greater understanding of the varied branches of law, what each entails, and how this can develop into becoming a coroner. He spoke about difficult cases and how to deal with them yet still be able to live his own life, the impact of Covid on the Coroner's Office, and finally he explained the investigatory, forensic and objectivity of his profession. 

Andrew recalled being part of the Lower Sixth many years before, who sought career advice less than 20 feet away from where he stood in the Long Room. He sheepishly admitted to his love of cricket and how this meant he did not achieve the A-level grades he desired, but instead reaffirmed that his determination and motivation to try his very best and succeed had paid dividends.

If you would like to give careers advice or a talk to our Sixth Form, please get in touch at oldoswestrians@oswestryschool.com