PIONEERING professor Lord Robert Winston visited Poole Grammar School yesterday in a bid to inspire the innovators of tomorrow.

The veteran broadcaster, doctor, academic and politician told the gathered students: “I know to many of you I seem like someone who is terribly famous, well-known and who has achieved a great deal – but that is completely untrue – I am really very ordinary.”

Speaking to the Daily Echo before the talk, he said it has never been more important to engage youngsters and encourage them to learn about the natural world.

“Society is becoming more and more dominated by science,” he said. “Fifteen hundred years ago that wasn’t so important - but now some of the issues that dominate our life are essentially rooted to science and technology.”

The BAFTA award-winning presenter added that he felt a “responsibility” to teach the next generation.

“It is an essential part of the work we do at Imperial College - we are very keen on outreach and trying to promote better understanding of science and technology.”

Poole Grammar’s head teacher Andy Baker said: “One of the great things about this visit is that we have a lot of boys who go on to do science at A-level and who then go on to university to do science.

“Actually hearing from someone who has had such a massive impact as an advocate for the sort of science that comes into contact with people – the embryo research and making people healthier, helping develop IVF – he is an absolute inspiration to our boys who are just at the start of that journey.

"It gives them an idea of what it could be like for them.”

Mr Baker added that he was also delighted to welcome students from nearby Parkstone Grammar to the event.

“It is really giving them an insight into how you can be an active scientist and make groundbreaking changes - to change the world - which is what we want our boys and girls to do,” he said.

The talk formed part of the school’s ongoing programme of “super-curricular” events designed to raise students’ aspirations.