Cokethorpe School, near Witney in Oxfordshire, completed a magnificent hat-trick of public speaking victories in November.
Hat-trick of public speaking wins for Cokethorpe
Cokethorpe School, near Witney in Oxfordshire, completed a magnificent hat-trick of public speaking victories in November.
First, the Senior public speaking team of Beth Sandland (Lower Sixth), Harry Norton-Shaw and Daniel Pye (both Year 11) won the local round of the RIBI Youth Speaks Public Speaking Competition. They will now attempt to become Oxfordshire Champions on Thursday, February 7 2013 in the Regional Final. The Junior team came runners up in their category.
This was closely followed by three Year 11 pupils being crowned Oxfordshire Champions of the English Speaking Union (ESU)’s Public Speaking Competition. Harry Lovibond, Fraser Logue and Gabby Smith defeated eight other schools in a ferocious three hour competition to clinch the prestigious title. Harry Lovibond was also an individual category winner taking the prize for Chairman of the Night, giving him recognition as one of the most outstanding young performers in the Midlands and South East. The team will now travel to face other County Champions at the Midlands heat of the competition, being held in Birmingham City Council Chambers on Monday 18 March 2013.
Finally, the clean sweep of wins was completed by Saul Garrett (Lower Sixth) and Bethany Mulloy (Year 11) when they defeated Abingdon School and Radley College in the local round of the English Speaking Union Mace Debating Competition. The team will now progress onto the next round of the competition where they will challenge for the Oxfordshire championship.
Headmaster, Damian Ettinger, says of the recent achievements, “This is the most successful year for Cokethorpe Public Speaking in recent memory and I am pleased to see that both girls and boys are taking to these competitions with such enthusiasm and determination. Three wins from three different teams of pupils is most impressive and my thanks to English teacher Mr Monaghan for his guidance and inspiration.”
Pictured: ESU Public Speaking winners
