Jeannine Manuel Reaches the ESU Public Speaking Regional Finals

Following a brilliant run to the regional finals last year, Jeannine Manuel’s public speaking team – which meets every Tuesday lunchtime, has repeated the achievement. This year, our speakers, Matvey, Eugenie, Arthur and Augustin from Year 10 (3eme), navigated a highly competitive knockout round to reach the prestigious English-Speaking Union (ESU) Regional Final at Dartmouth House. We caught up with Mr Thomson who ran this year’s program to reflect on the team’s journey.

Q: Could you tell us more about what the competition entails?

A: ESU public speaking is the largest competition of its kind in England and Wales, with hundreds of schools participating. The format is quite distinct; rather than simply delivering a monologue, teams take on the specific roles of Chairperson, Speaker and Questioner and work in collaboration with other schools. The results are very insightful and interactive presentations in front of an audience.

Q: What were the defining moments of the competition this year?

A: The pivotal moment was undoubtedly the knockout round at the City of London School for Girls. Our team managed to win over 5 other competing schools, which helped bolster our confidence and approach for the finals.

Q: The team competed at this year’s Regional Finals at Dartmouth House. What was that experience like?

A: Stepping into Dartmouth House – the historic headquarters of the ESU, is always a fantastic experience and the standard of competition at the regional finals is high. Our team represented Jeannine Manuel School with eloquence and vigour, delivering an outstanding performance that further strengthened our school’s reputation in the competition. We look forward to preparing for next year!