Students from the Girls’ Division showcased their talent and confidence in two renowned English Speaking Union (ESU) competitions this term, earning praise from judges and advancing to the next stages.
In the Churchill Public Speaking Competition—open to Years 9 to 11—Bolton School entered two Year 9 teams who competed virtually against five other schools. With support from their English teacher, Mrs Ahmed, the students delivered outstanding performances. Amelia O’Neill (Team A) captivated the audience with her speech, “Superheroes are real and all around us,” while Simra Naslin (Team B) tackled the Martin Luther King Jr. quote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Their teammates—Maryam Sirajudin and Kate Wilson (Team A), and Isabelle Culf and Hameedah Lawal (Team B)—played key roles as chairpersons and questioners alongside students from other schools. The competition was fiercely contested, and Team A’s efforts were rewarded with a place in the next round.
Miss Talbot, Director of Theatre Studies, Speech, and Drama, praised the students, saying: “Their hard work and professionalism made them a credit to the school, and Mrs Ahmed and I were very proud of their achievements.”
The Mace Debating Competition—for Years 11 to 13—took place in Bolton School’s Leverhulme Suite and featured six teams from five schools. Seven Year 11 students participated, including Emily Rostron, who acted as timekeeper for the event.
Bolton School’s A Team—Zainab Jiva, Nikita Dontula, and Anamika Vardhan—proposed the motion, “This House Believes in the Implementation of the Four Day School Week.” They delivered compelling and dynamic arguments, demonstrating their understanding of debate roles. Meanwhile, the B Team—Lily Coupe, Lily Ma, and Sofia Macari—entered as a “swing team,” meaning they were ineligible for the next round. Undeterred, they performed brilliantly against a strong team from Cartmel College.
The judges selected three teams to progress to the next stage, including Bolton School’s A Team, which was notably the youngest group in the competition.
Congratulations to all students for their exceptional performances in these prestigious events.