A PIONEER of IVF and a familiar face through his popular children’s TV shows, Prof Lord Robert Winston spoke virtually to sixth-form students at Park Academy, Uxbridge.

Pupils at the Park View Road school spent almost an hour listening to his advice on how to succeed in the workplace and in life.

Lord Winston is Professor of Science and Society and Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College London.

In the 1970s he developed gynaecological surgical techniques that improved fertility treatments.

He explained it was a string of failures - and teamwork - that eventually led to the breakthroughs.

He said: ‘’I don’t think you can succeed without failing. My working life has been about failure. We carried out numerous experiments that failed before we succeeded with our work in fertility.

‘’It’s also important to highlight the need to collaborate and be able to work in a team in order to succeed. Most people don’t succeed on their own.’’

Umer Mohammad, head of sixth form at Park Academy, helped to organise the talk which was aimed at inspiring the students as they consider their next steps.

He said: ‘’It’s important for the younger generation to see the importance of failing. A lot of the time when they fail, they give up, but if they persevere they would succeed.’’