The College’s most accomplished public speakers displayed their exceptional talents during the Festival of the Spoken Word competition in June, demonstrating courage, confidence, vulnerability, and humour, says Rector, Christine Leighton. “It is heartening to see how language and oral communication continues to be highly valued and celebrated by our students.”

The competition got underway with the Junior Festival of the Spoken Word for Years 9–10 students. Hanxi (Cicy) Chen (Year 9) and Isla Kempthorne (Year 10) were chosen as the top speakers for their year groups and went on to compete in the final of the Senior Festival of the Spoken Word in The Green Library and Innovation Centre, the following week.
The other finalists were Senior Prepared: Katherine Simcock (Year 11), Sebastian Ennals-Pellett, Saskia Wells and Isobel Forsey (all Year 12); and Senior Impromptu: Alexandra Hirschfeld, James Hart (both Year 12), Harry Anderson, Portia Bennie and Marco Leighs (all Year 13).

Following some fantastic speeches, Isobel Forsey won the Senior Prepared category, James Hart won Senior Impromptu, with Isobel Forsey awarded the Mark Ellerm Cup for Senior Public Speaking (Overall Best Speaker).