Wycombe Abbey’s first Public Speaking Competition

For the first time ever, Wycombe held an inter-House Public Speaking Competition. The brief was simple yet engaging; girls in U4 and above were invited to write and deliver a persuasive speech on any topic of their choice, with the aim of expressing themselves with eloquence, wit, logic and verve. Of the entrants, the best eight were selected to compete in a final round on 11 June. The competition was judged by Wycombe Senior, Nathalie Buscombe. Nathalie was highly involved in debating during her time at Wycombe and has since gone on to read Law at Cambridge and star in a number of television and film projects.

Judging the speeches was challenging as the girls spoke convincingly and movingly on a diverse range of themes such as memes, the injustice of the tampon tax and unfair beauty standards and race in the 21st century. The ultimate winner of the competition will be announced later in the term.

The evening would not have been possible without the enthusiasm of the L5 audience. In particular we would like to thank the Public Speaking Society Officers, Carolyn and Chloe, Mrs Wright (Head of Fifth Form) and Mrs Kiln (Head of Careers), and most importantly the generosity and expertise of our judge, Nathalie Buscombe. Many heartfelt thanks are due to them all.