A Declamation to Remember!

The Declamation competition remains one of our great showcase events at St .Edmund's and the children just love it! It shows the depth of reading at school and this year proved to be stiff competition.

From Charles Dickens's 'Oliver Twist' to Suzanne Harris's 'The Hunger Games', the audience were kept engaged with wonderful readings which captivated everyone in the Farley Hall. It was also wonderful to hear Charlie Hurry read  Winston Churchill's speech to the House of Commons, June 4th, 1940. There were certainly both tears and laughter. I really do want to congratulate everyone involved and can't wait to do it all again next year. 

Many thanks to our judges Mrs DaSilva  and Mr Ballak who faced some difficult decisions. Our year group and overall winners were:

-Form 3 -Aimee W Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

 -Form 4 -Alice W The World’s Worst Children by David Walliams

-Form 5 - William N Shoe Wars by Liz Pichon -overall winner

-Form 6 -Oscar W - Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

-Form 7 -Iris M-Geek Girl by Holly Smale

-Form 8 - Esme B - This Book Kills by Ravena Guron 

-Overall winner -Ava H -The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

You are all stars!

Participating in the Declamation competition offers several important benefits for our pupils:

1. Enhancing Public Speaking Skills: The competition provides a platform for pupils to practice and refine their public speaking abilities. Presenting in front of an audience helps build confidence, poise, and effective communication skills. 

2. Encouraging a Love of Literature: By delving into a variety of texts, pupils develop a deeper appreciation for literature. This exposure fosters a lifelong love of reading and enhances their understanding of different genres, authors, and historical contexts.

3. Promoting Critical Thinking: Preparing for the competition requires pupils to analyse and interpret their chosen pieces. This process sharpens their critical thinking and comprehension skills, enabling them to engage more thoughtfully with complex texts.

4. Building Emotional Intelligence: Performing emotionally charged excerpts, such as Churchill's wartime speech, allows pupils to connect with their material on a deeper level. This experience cultivates empathy and emotional intelligence as they convey the nuances of their characters' experiences and emotions.

5. Strengthening Community Bonds: The competition brings together pupils, teachers, and families, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose.  We love celebrating the achievements of our pupils and creating  lasting memories.