The importance of a powerful speech is not only in the writing of it, but also in the delivery. Ficino School is well known for its emphasis on clear communication – the importance of articulation, the use of gestures, sincerity and preparation are all witnessed to good effect in our annual speech competition.  This year’s competition saw students speaking the words of great writers, political figures and philosophers.

We were lucky enough to listen to the winning speeches in assembly this week. In addition to the clear oration, it was good to see the confidence and strength displayed by all the speakers.

We’d like to give a wholehearted thank you to Alvin Maharaj and Matt Baker for giving their time in carrying out the unenviable task of selecting our 2025 winners. They were both blown away by the poise of the students and the quality of their articulation and characterisation. As professional actors, both men are familiar with the nerves that come from performing in front of an audience and they were impressed by the children’s ability to remain calm and focused.

Despite the high quality of the performances overall, there can only be a select few winners. Congratulations to the following students: