Writes Kate Shockley, Second in English
Last Friday’s Fourth Form assembly saw the hotly anticipated final of the Taylors’ Public Speaking Competition. The finalists began the competition in their English lessons, where every boy in the Fourths was required to deliver a speech as part of the curriculum. A superb group of class winners progressed to the semi-finals, speaking intelligently and engagingly on topics ranging from sea slugs to how to grieve. In the final, five of the best speakers addressed the whole year group, delivering speeches on diverse subjects from trams to tintinnabulation, and from doom-scrolling to pollution. Mr Farrar-Ben and Ms Lewis were impressed by the quality of the speeches and faced the very difficult task of choosing the winners.
Theo S, experienced on the Taylors’ Public Speaking stage, opened proceedings with a passionate and well-informed speech on trams and their potential to transform towns and cities across the UK. Max D followed with a speech that reframed our understanding of littering by drawing attention to the growing problem of microplastics. He was followed by Zach R, whose impassioned speech on the dangers of social media was both well-researched and persuasively delivered. Next, Alex B gave a clever and amusing speech on expanding our vocabularies through the use of underused words. Closing proceedings, Ethan D held the audience in the palm of his hand with a confident, engaging and moving speech on neurodivergence.
After careful deliberation, Ethan D was announced as this year’s winner, with Theo S as runner-up. Well done to all the boys who created and delivered speeches this year; we hope the experience gave you the opportunity to develop and share your ideas on topics that matter to you.
