Year 10: ESU-Churchill National Public Speaking Competition
At St Thomas More College, we understand the importance of developing oracy skills across the curriculum because we believe that being able to communicate articulately is a vital life skill. Furthermore, public speaking is a life skill that students will use throughout their academic careers and in their everyday lives. The aim of the ESU competition is to build confidence and to give young people the opportunity to find their voice and to gain experience in articulating their ideas in a formal context.
Miss Kay and a group of talented Year 10 orators entered the ESU Public Speaking Competition, which is the largest public speaking competition in the UK. The students had worked hard on developing their oracy and debating skills to ensure they were ready for the challenge ahead.
Prior to the formal debate, Bolaji Adenuga, Annie Surigao, Hollie Meehan, Callum Marsland, Annalise Stubbs and Zainab Abidoye attended an oracy workshop to prepare themselves for the debate and they were all commended on their use of high level vocabulary and complex ideas. In addition, Bolaji and Zainab received specific feedback for their excellent questioning skills.
The students demonstrated resilience and independence by preparing speeches on a wide range of topics. Hollie Meehan prepared an engaging speech on the issues surrounding the rising population and the impact this will have on our future. Whereas, Bolaji and Annie were paired with students from another school and they were given the roles of the chair and questioner.
Although the team didn't make it to the final, they gave exceptional speeches and they used their rhetoric to influence the audience. Hollie Meehan was praised by one of the judges for her mature ideas and debating skills.
Well done!
