Rhetoric Cup Final 2024

Pupils in L5 gathered in the Hive Lecture Theatre on Friday 28th June for the annual Rhetoric Cup final.

This annual event, which has been running since the 1960s, requires each L5 pupil to deliver a speech on a topic of their choice. A finalist is selected from each English class to deliver their speech to an audience of their peers, teachers and an external adjudicator.

This year, the audience enjoyed a range of speeches on topics ranging from ‘The Value of Learning Ancient Language’ to ‘Why ‘Finding Yourself’ is a Fiction’.

All speeches were of outstanding quality and our guest adjudicator – Reshma Rumsey, who is a journalist and producer at ITN  – had a very tough job indeed.

Finally, the decision was made, and she awarded first prize to Iris for her entertaining and informative speech on ‘Why Period 5 is a Scam’.

Reshma congratulated all finalists on their excellent performances, and highlighted the importance of oracy skills in the 21st century workplace.