SIR TREVOR MCDONALD VISITS PRINCE AVENUE ACADEMY

December 11, 2024

Sir Trevor McDonald OBE is arguably the most recognisable news presenter in British broadcasting history with a career that has spanned nearly sixty years. This week, all the children and staff at Prince Avenue Academy and Nursery had the pleasure and privilege of meeting Sir Trevor and hearing about his remarkable life and career in journalism that saw him awarded the OBE in 1992 and awarded a Knighthood in 1999. His visit followed the Year 6 children at Prince Avenue writing heartfelt letters to Sir Trevor, he said, “The letters were so charming they deserved more than a paper response.”

During an assembly, he emphasised the need to work hard in school, he said, “As children, we were told the thing to give us a lease of life, to make any source of progress, would be to work hard at school. We were constantly told that we had to do well, nothing else would do. It was a strong telling in what we needed to do to get along in life.” The children also found out that Sir Trevor’s parents wished for him to go into medicine or become a lawyer, but his dream was to always become a journalist.

Headteacher Tracy Dennis said, “We are simply so honoured that Sir Trevor would take time out of his day to come and visit our children and school. The research the children conducted shone through in their letters to this icon of, not just, our country but the world over. His work in all areas of the media is inspiring and the stories of the challenges he has faced and overcome will linger long in my memory and that of our children I am sure.”

Head Boy, Henry Ellis, and Head Girl, Tashi Prithwani, were equally as ecstatic. Henry beamed, “It feels surreal.” When asked what he will take most from the visit, Henry said, “He has inspired me to never give up because his parents wanted him to take a different job but he focussed on what he loved.”. Tashi added, “It feels great to be part of Prince Avenue history, we enjoyed researching his life, writing our letters and meeting Sir Trevor today.”