Following their visit to the Imperial War Museum, our cohort of Year 9 students participated in an intensive, full-day workshop led by an exceptional trainer (A.C. Gaskell) from Speakers Trust and facilitated by Ms Senior. The session was expertly designed to help students channel their experiences and reflections from the museum into powerful, articulate speeches on themes of culture and contemporary life.

Throughout the day, students engaged in a dynamic blend of collaborative drama, structured spoken and written activities, live demonstrations, explicit instruction, and carefully scaffolded learning tasks. This multifaceted approach culminated in the production of original speeches — each one a compelling expression of the students’ perspectives, passions, and personal insights.

This workshop not only developed students’ oracy and writing skills but also deepened their engagement with ideas of identity, culture, and social awareness – making it a truly transformative educational experience.

While the standard across the group was impressive, four students stood out for their eloquence, confidence, and depth of thought (Aaron Walsh, Otis Halley, Samir Habibi, Nikolas Kole). These individuals have been selected to progress to the Assembly Final, where they will deliver their speeches to the entire Year 9 cohort. The outcome of this final will determine whose speech is chosen to represent the school in the prestigious Culturally Speaking showcase.

For the second consecutive year, we were honoured to partner with the  Kusuma Trust and Speakers Trust to provide a few year 9 students with a rich, curriculum-enhancing cultural experience. Thanks to their generous sponsorship, students were given the opportunity to broaden their cultural capital and deepen their appreciation of both the curriculum and the wider world.

This year’s visit took place in May, at the Imperial War Museum — an inspiring and thought-provoking setting. The visit served not only as a cultural enrichment opportunity but also as a powerful vehicle for developing key oracy skills, including public speaking, active listening, deliberation, and constructive feedback. These skills are integral to our English curriculum, particularly in exploring the Power and Conflict context and the spoken language components of the course.

Throughout the day, students engaged in a focused inquiry into the role of art in wartime. Under the expert guidance of a museum facilitator, they were introduced to the subject through a stimulating briefing, before embarking on an interactive exploration of the museum’s collection. Working collaboratively, they identified and analysed significant artworks, capturing key insights using group iPads. The visit culminated in team presentations, where students articulated their learning and reflected on the pieces that resonated with them most.It was a day of meaningful engagement, critical thinking, and expressive growth — an unforgettable experience that truly exemplified the transformative power of education beyond the classroom.

Thank you to Miss Senior who organises so many of these enrichment programmes along with Miss Ishaq and Mr McKoy who supported on the day.