Speaking for Ourselves

Harrodians are known for their articulacy and confidence. Our annual Public Speaking Competition provides the ideal platform for pupils in our 8s to 13s (Years 4 to 9) to showcase these qualities.

In all the years of our Public Speaking Competition, no pupil has ever been so overcome by stage fright that they refused to participate. On the contrary, most eagerly embrace the opportunity to express their thoughts on topics they are passionate about—sometimes even discovering new interests they might not have otherwise considered. As Molly, the winner of the 10s/11s competition, explains:

“I enjoyed uncovering a subject that I really cared about and one that I might not normally have had the chance to research. When trying to decide what to talk about, I thought about all the things I love, like sports and music, but also clothes. I then browsed my favourite clothing brands online, and that’s when I noticed a lack of diversity among fashion models. This became the foundation of my speech.”

Molly’s journey is just one example of how public speaking encourages pupils to think critically, explore new ideas, and develop confidence in expressing their views. Her experience highlights why public speaking plays such an important role in the English curriculum for our 8s to 13s pupils and explains why every pupil is asked to write and deliver a speech. The next step involves performing the speech in front of the class and listening to their peers' presentations. Afterwards, they vote for the best speaker to represent the class in the competition. Once selected, the finalists are invited to present their topics onstage— in the Marquee—before an expert judging panel and two entire year groups.

This year’s finalists impressed our English department and judges with the high standard of their speeches, the passion for their chosen subjects and the variety of topics they covered – some of which were challenging and personal. The effort each of them put into the preparation, research, crafting of language, and use of humour was particularly impressive, and they had their audiences smiling, laughing, gasping, agreeing and disagreeing; everything that competent, thought-provoking public speaking should inspire.  

Public speaking constitutes a required component for GCSE English Language. Known as a Spoken Language Endorsement, our 13s pupils (Year 9) prepare for and deliver this as part of the competition. There are good reasons for this according to Harrodian Head of English, Ms Lucy Thomas. 'We feel it is important to teach not just reading and writing but spoken communication as well,' she says. 'Being able to express yourself articulately is a fundamental life skill that needs to be nurtured throughout a child's education.’

Ms. Beccy Edge (8s Form Teacher and Head of Prep English), the organiser of the 8s–11s competition, is keen to emphasise the importance of teaching public speaking skills from an early age. She highlights how it not only helps children grow in confidence but also hones their communication skills as they progress through school. What makes her perspective particularly unique is that she sees the Public Speaking competition as a learning opportunity for the teachers (not just the pupils) with the chance to gain a rare, fly-on-the-wall insight into the pupils’ world from their speeches. ‘It is wonderful to see how they confidently share their diverse interests in front of a large audience, unfazed by the challenge. They make us laugh, make us think, and give us a glimpse of the world through their eyes,’ she enthuses.

All the talks were of such high standard and covered a broad and creative range of topics. Some tackled big issues like climate change, emotional intelligence, resilience, the importance of supporting charities, diversity, and engineering whilst others talked about subjects more personal to them, like a love of California, how life’s annoying little things are the spice of life, why we should all eat more ice cream sundaes, why darts is a real sport or why King cobras are the most dangerous snakes.

“I was so impressed with the diversity and variety of interests shared by the children in their speeches and the wide experience of the judges (from radio/TV presenting, rugby and motivational speaking to journalism) gave them a valuable insight into how useful the art of public speaking will be to their futures,” enthuses Ms Edge.

On the judging panel a combination of industry experts, Harrodian parents, Sixth Formers and staff, all with extensive public speaking experience, had the formidable task of choosing a winner and two runners up (highly commended and commended) in each of the three age group categories.

It was Mr. Jake Murray's first time serving as a judge for the 10s/11s competition. As the Head of 3D Design and STEM leader, he was part of the panel that decided on the winners. ‘I was very impressed by the erudition, confidence, and maturity on display,’ he says. ‘The decision was tough, and the panel was divided because the standard of competition was so high.’

Lower Sixth Former Ioanna (pictured below) also joined the judging panel, managing to fit this role into her already packed schedule. This week, she performed in the Senior play Faustus for three nights, delivered a Thursday lunchtime Student Society lecture on the status of books and reading, and co-hosted a Friday English GCSE Club with Ms. Kempin. Her words of encouragement were especially inspiring to the runners-up and those who didn't make it to the final competition, as she addressed them from the Marquee stage. ‘I made it to the Public Speaking final four times but never won,’ she shared. ‘Use the disappointment to fuel you so that you come back stronger and better next year. And who knows, maybe one day you'll be invited to judge this competition, just like I was!’

Eager to share their insights, two of the three winners reflect on their experience. 'I loved writing my speech,' says Harper (9s), whose topic focused on the benefits of a three-day weekend. 'But I struggled to remember everything, especially my paragraph openers!' This wasn’t evident to the audience or the judges who were full of praise for her dynamic and varied tone of voice, as well as her persuasive delivery.

Meanwhile, Molly (11s) enjoyed researching her topic. Although she was initially daunted by the prospect of speaking to such a large audience, she now appreciates the value of the experience. 'Now that I’ve done it, I feel much more confident speaking in front of an audience again, and I think my speaking skills have improved as a result!' The judges echoed this sentiment, describing her as a 'presenter in the making' and her speech as 'well-researched.'

Congratulations to all our pupils who participated, and a big thank you to the judges for giving up their time and providing such constructive and valuable feedback.

The awarded winners and runners up across each of the three age categories are:

8s and 9s (Year 4/5)

Winner:

• Harper (9NGE) - Why we should have a three-day weekend

Highly Commended: 

• Aoife (8REG) - Why resilience is important

Commended:

• Estee (9JEO) – The importance of music

10s and 11s (Year 6/7)

Winner:

• Molly (11LST)  - Why clothing brands should use models who don’t look perfect

Highly Commended:

• Joshua (10SLA)  - Why life skills should be taught within the school curriculum

Highly Commended:

• Troy (11MLA) – Humour and laughter makes your life better

12s and 13s (Year 8/9)

Winner:

• Rohan (12CMA) - E-sports are most certainly a sport!

Highly Commended: 

• Leo (13MHN) - Daydreaming is the foundation of youthful minds

Highly Commended:

• Thomas (12MHN) - Why darts should be taken more seriously as a sport

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