SCHOOL NEWS: Orators of the future

PUPILS did themselves and their schools proud on Wednesday (January 25, 2017) during the annual Youth Speaks Junior Competition organised by the Rotary Club of Ilminster.

A record eight teams took part in the public speaking competition with entries from Buckland St Mary Primary School, Combe St Nicholas Primary School, Neroche Primary School, two teams apiece from Swanmead Community School and the Levels Academy Trust, and a first-ever entry from Chard School.

The panel of adjudicators was chaired by Charles Clark, of Greenslade Taylor Hunt, and he was assisted by Anna Bowerman, of Ilminster’s Warehouse Theatre, and Richard D’Rozario, head of English, at Wadham School in Crewkerne.

PHOTO - TOP: The Youth Speaks contestants await the final results.

PHOTO - RIGHT: The team from Buckland St Mary Primary School. 

Mr Clark said it had been a very difficult decision for the judges to come up with a winner as all of the teams had put in a terrific amount of work and given a superb account of themselves.

“It was an outstanding evening,” he said. “Each year I wonder if this is going to be the year when things slip a little, but definitely not. The pupils should be very proud of themselves as should their schools.

“If any of the children had been suffered from nerves they didn’t show it. But, as I’m sure they realise now, actually doing some public speaking is never as bad as thinking about it.

“These are our orators of the future.”

Mr Clark added: “They provided and excellent choice of subject and gave eight very good speeches from beginning to end which had been well-researched and balanced.”

Overall winners were the Neroche Primary School team of Rhianna Wilkinson, Savannah Lamb and Isla Gibson who spoke about the topic of “are women treated equally to men?”

Runners-up were the Combe St Nicholas Primary School of William Reid, Robert Chapple and Isaac Henley who posed the question “making a drama out of the curriculum?”

PHOTO - RIGHT: Overall winners were the team from Neroche Primary School.

While third placed went to the Swanmead School 2 team of Annie Ashdown, Hattie Luffman and Nancy Pattisson who asked “should we be letting in more Syrian refugees?”

Swanmead’s Hattie was named as the Best Girl in the Competition for her performance as the main speaker of her team’s presentation.

Adjudicator Anna Bowerman, in her congratulating Hattie, said “Theresa May look out!”

Highly commended girl was Evie Roarity of the Levels Academy Trust 1 who discussed the topic of ‘should dance become a more prominent part of the curriculum?”

PHOTO - RIGHT: Members of the Combe St Nicholas Primary School team who were runners-up.

Best Boy in the Competition was Jack Morgan of the Levels Academy Trust 1 who gave a presentation under the subject of ‘can teachers be replaced by computers?”

While highly commended boy was Robert Chapple of Combe St Nicholas Primary School.

The annual competition – held at Swanmead School in Ilminster - has been run for many years and encourages young people to learn how to argue for issues they care about.

Ilminster Rotary Club would like to thank Swanmead headteacher Mark Walker, staff and governors as well as the competition sponsor, Greenslade Taylor Hunt, for their continued support.

The other competing teams were Buckland St Mary Primary School with Harry Criddle and Eva Vincent who spoke about “what age should children start school in Somerset?”

Chard School of Sophie Pavey, Orlaigh O’Brien and Helena Gladstone who spoke about “will man live in space during our lifetime?” and Swanmead School 1 of Robert Lock, Keiran Mackay and Connor Swain who asked “should they be building a third runway at Heathrow?”

PHOTO - ABOVE: Third-placed went to Swanmead School Team 2.

PHOTO - ABOVE: The Levels Academy Trust Team 2.

PHOTO - ABOVE: The Levels Academy Trust Team 1.

PHOTO - ABOVE: The Chard School team.

PHOTO - ABOVE: The Swanmead School Team 1.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Best Boy in the Competition Jack Morgan, of the Levels Academy Trust, and Best Girl in the Competition Hattie Luffman, of Swanmead School.

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