The prestigious ESU-Churchill Public Speaking Competition, sponsored by the International Churchill Society, is the largest such contest in England and Wales, with around 400 teams (each comprising a speaker, questioner and a chairperson). The different roles allow students to practice and excel in different skill sets, and the competition’s unique format, which pairs the speaker from one school with the chair and questioner of another, encourages quick thinking and relationship building.

Thirteen teams have succeeded through almost five months of competition, a total of eighty branch heats and regional finals, and a myriad of topics, to reach Finals Day at Churchill College, Cambridge.

The passion, talent, and enthusiasm of these young speakers is always a highlight of our educational calendar – this Finals Day is a showcase for the very best of speaking, chairing and questioning in the UK.