Shipston pupils reach final of speaking competition
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
THREE pupils at Shipston High School have reached the national final of the Rotary Club’s Youth Speaks competition.
The girls, 13-year-old Kate Higginson, Charley Caufield and Kim Haynes, both 14, beat off stiff competition from 11 other teams over three rounds to reach the final, which is being held at Stratford High School on Saturday, May 8.
It is the first time Shipston High School team, or any other Warwickshire secondary school team, has reached the final of the prestigious competition.
Along the way the girls beat teams from King Edward VI Grammar School in Stratford, Warwick School and King Edward VI School for Boys, Camp Hill.
In the semi-final held at Chipping Campden School, in which their topic was "London 2012…is it really worth it?", the girls saw off three challengers, including a team from Habersdashers School for Girls, Monmouth.
Kate, Charley and Kim, who compete in the intermediate level of the competition, said: "We are very pleased and excited to be in the national finals, especially as this is a school and county record. We intend to give it our best shot and are grateful to the Shipston on Stour and Stratford Rotary clubs for their support."
Shipston High School headteacher, Jonathan Baker, paid tribute to English teacher Cathy Jones, who has been managing the team, and added: "We are obviously delighted, especially as we have a very strong tradition of ‘public speaking’ in the school.
“Our team’s success just goes to show once again the depth of talent and the outstanding confidence of our students.”
By: Cotswold Journal
