In our first OT visit of the new year, Year 12 and 13 were treated to a lively, thought‑provoking and genuinely uplifting assembly on Monday as we welcomed back Old Trident Andy Reid (Class of 2002) to Trent during his short visit to the UK from his home in Melbourne, Australia.

From the first moment, Andy set a tone that was interactive, open and welcoming. He began with a simple question: “Who wants to play a game?”  and, on volunteering himself, invited Year 13 student Dalton to participate. Dalton’s challenge was to complete a jigsaw puzzle in the time it took Andy to deliver his talk, a task that would later become a powerful metaphor.

Andy immediately captured attention by briefly speaking in Gen Z dialect, before asking students, with a chuckle, whether it sounded right coming from him. His point landed clearly: success isn’t about trying to be who we think others want us to be but about understanding and owning who we are as individuals.

Making sense of stress

A key focus of Andy’s talk was the reality of being a young person, at a pivotal stage of education, today. He spoke honestly about the pressures young people face, particularly the sheer volume of information students are exposed to every day, compared with how much the human brain can realistically process. His aim was to ease some of that stress and help make things feel more manageable.

Andy shared a whirlwind overview of his own journey since leaving school, delivered quite deliberately in a single deep breath. From studying Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle University, moving to Australia in 2010, becoming a nationally recognised property auctioneer, launching multiple businesses, publishing his book Success Curious, in 5 countries including UK and USA, and hosting a Podcast of the same name, his message was clear: the details of the journey matter far less than what you learn about yourself along the way. He was quick to add that, by far, his greatest achievement is being a dad to his two children, Eliza (11) and Callum (7).

Knowing who you are

Much of the session centred on the difference between what you know and who you are. Andy encouraged students to think carefully about their values, what defines them, and whether they truly know what matters most to them. He challenged the idea of a single definition of success, emphasising that success looks different for everyone, and that there is real strength in acknowledging vulnerability.

Using humour and relatable analogies (including likening himself to the ‘Gordon Ramsay of the property world’), Andy explored the idea of perspective, sharing the reflection:

“The funny thing about perspectives is that every single experience we’ve had
shapes the perspective we have; our upbringing, belief systems, priorities, values, knowledge… affects it.  Everyone has one, and that’s totally fine!”

    

Students were also encouraged to reframe how they think about failure, with Andy quoting Nelson Mandela: “I never lose. I either win or learn.” From there, he moved on to goal‑setting; what goals really are, how to break them down into manageable steps, and how to turn a vision into something achievable.

Bringing it full circle

As Dalton reached the end of his jigsaw challenge, it became clear that one piece was missing, intentionally removed by Andy. The message resonated strongly: identity is like a jigsaw. What we know and who we are both matters, and every piece is needed to complete the picture.

Throughout the talk, Andy reflected thoughtfully on his own school days, recognising that what shaped him most was not only what was taught in the classroom, but what he learned beyond it. He spoke about the importance of creativity, how thinking creatively helps the brain make sense of the world and how school gave him space to develop this in ways he did not fully appreciate at the time.

It was not until a decade or so after leaving school that Andy began to recognise the significance of moments that had once felt ordinary: the confidence he found during his English Speaking exam speech: ‘The Difference Between Boxers, Brief and Y-Fronts’, or his natural ability to ‘sell the school’ when acting as an Ambassador to prospective families on school tours. Looking back, he now sees these experiences as early indicators of who he really is; someone whose strength lies in speaking out, connecting with others and helping people see possibility.

After the assembly, Andy spent time in the Wortley Sixth Form Centre speaking one‑to‑one with students, showing genuine interest in what makes them happy, encouraging them to trust their instincts and helping them find the confidence to articulate what they want from life.

As he spent time walking around the school, reminiscing on his time at Trent, Andy reflected on how supportive his Housemaster Mr Rolt was, during a particularly challenging time for Andy and his family, offering sound advice and keeping him motivated, as well as acknowledging the invaluable guidance received from his tutor, Mr Grindle.

Andy left, sharing a heartfelt call to action, encouraging more Old Tridents to return to school:

“I really want more of us to come back and help students make sense of the world.”

It was clear throughout the day that this message comes from a deeply held belief and a sense of purpose rooted in experience, reflection and a genuine desire to give back. Andy spoke passionately about wanting to do more work in schools, helping young people recognise their strengths, trust their creativity and feel confident in who they are becoming, and will be taking the inspiration he gained spending time at Trent, back to Australia “I can’t tell you how much my visit to Trent has inspired me.  I got just as much value from being with you guys, so I can’t thank the school enough”.  

Head of Sixth Form, Paul Mayfield said: “It is always a genuine pleasure when OTs take the time to return to Trent to share their stories and wisdom with our students. It was great listening to Andy Reid, and I know the students took a lot from his presentation and time with individuals throughout the day.”

We are incredibly grateful to Andy for giving his time, during what has been a packed schedule of activity on his trip to Europe, for sharing his energy and honesty so generously.