Sompting Abbotts launches annual Speech Cup of Poetry and Performance
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We were thrilled to welcome James Hartman - actor, vocal coach and drama teacher – to adjudicate Sompting Abbotts’ first annual Speech Cup.
This was an inspiring initiative introduced by our English and Drama Specialist Teacher Mrs Lucy Turton.
We are so proud of all of our finalists, who performed, before an audience of the whole school and parents, with confidence, clarity and enthusiasm at the event.
All pupils in the Main School (Years 3-8) were asked to learn a poem by heart. The final was a mixture of performances of the best from across the year groups. The children used gesture, expression and intonation – and in some cases props! – to bring their poems to life.
“When children begin to overcome their fears with public speaking, they gain confidence and self-belief. That, in turn, can serve to encourage them to embrace other ‘scary’ challenges in their life.”
It was impressive to see the children take responsibility to learn the poems themselves and decide how they would like to perform them.
Mrs Turton said the Speech Cup, for her, was not just marvellous because she was an English and Drama teacher who loves poetry and performance.
“Knowing how to speak in public is so important in life, for example, when you go to a job interview or even when you apply to your future school,” she told the children.
She believes that when children begin to overcome their fears with public speaking, they gain confidence and self-belief. That, in turn, can serve to encourage them to embrace other ‘scary’ challenges in their life.
“For everyone who took part, the true prize is in the invaluable skills they have gained. Their ability to learn poetry will stand them in great stead for memorising their GCSE literature texts; their confidence speaking in front of others will make them stand out in interviews for schools, universities and even their future careers. And of course, we also hope that they will carry with them a newly enriched enthusiasm for poetry and performance!
“Not only does an event like this give the children the chance to cope with nerves through practice and guided preparation. They also gain a positive sense of empowerment through holding an audience’s attention and provoking a desired reaction.”
The winners were as follows:
🏆 Junior Category: Lexie C, who performed ‘Emma Hackett’s Newsbook’ by Allan Ahlberg.
🏆 Intermediate Category: Isla S and Harriet N, who recited ‘Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf’ by Roald Dahl.
🏆 Senior Category: Aummie P, who performed ‘The Truth’ by Barry Wade and read an extract from ‘Evie and the Animals’ by Matt Haig.
Many congratulations to the winners, and a big well done to all the children who took part in the competition with such bravery. Thank you also to our wonderful audience!
