On Tuesday 21 April, Shiplake College welcomed an inspirational guest speaker, Ahmad Milad Sekandari, who shared his powerful personal story with students in Year 7 and Year 9.
Milad, a refugee from Afghanistan and a former student of Mrs Ella Povey-Coles at Reading College, spoke about his journey to the UK and the challenges of settling into a new country. Now studying Level 3 Motor Vehicle studies at BCA College, Milad has aspirations to become an entrepreneur and hopes to use his experiences to inspire others.
The visit consisted of two sessions tailored to complement the students’ current English studies. During Period 1, Year 9 pupils gathered in the Lecture Theatre as part of their Tolerance, Rights & Respect module. This unit explores the power of narrative voice and storytelling, and students have been studying Amir & George by Sita Brahmachari – a short story following a young refugee’s journey from Iraq to England. Hearing Milad speak brought these themes vividly to life, allowing students to connect real‑world experience to their literary analysis. In Period 3, Year 7 students met Milad in the Tithe Barn. This session linked closely to their study of The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis, a novel that examines life in Afghanistan through the eyes of a young girl who must disguise herself as a boy to help support her family. Milad spoke openly about cultural differences between Afghanistan and England, as well as the significant challenges facing girls’ education and women’s rights in Afghanistan today.
Across both sessions, students listened attentively as Milad described his turbulent journey, his first impressions of the UK, and the realities of rebuilding a life in a foreign country. Pupils had prepared questions in advance, leading to insightful discussions that demonstrated curiosity, empathy and respect. The visit provided a meaningful opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of the texts they are studying, grounding fiction in authentic lived experience. It also reinforced the importance of tolerance, human rights and compassion, values that sit at the heart of the Shiplake College ethos. For Milad, the day offered valuable experience in public speaking and the chance to observe A‑Level learning in action. For our students, it was an powerful reminder of the impact of stories, and the courage behind them.
