Churchill PSC Organisers Handbook (Updated) - esu.org

ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION CHURCHILL NATIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION FOR SCHOOLS

ORGANISERS’
HANDBOOK

CONTACT LIST FOR REGIONAL ORGANISERS

North West Region East Region
Barbara Crellin Mrs Ann Carley
577 London Road The Red House
Davenham Stoke Albany
Northwich Market Harborough
CW9 8LN Leicestershire LE16 8PN
01606 41461 [email protected]
[email protected]
London
Wales Paul Holleley
Marjorie Page ESU Speech and Debate
Heronston Hall Dartmouth House, 37 Charles Street
Ewenny, Bridgend London, W1J 5ED
CF313AX 020 7529 1577
01656 655997 [email protected]
[email protected]
South East Region
Midlands Region Anthony Harris
Mr John Quibell-Smith, 16 Gainsborough House
17 Malus Close, Eaton Gardens
Malvern, Hove, BN3 3UA
Worcestershire 01273 771577
WR14 2WD [email protected]
[email protected]

South and South West
Region
Mrs Maureen Speller
11 Newton House,
Newton St Cyres,
Exeter,
EX5 5BL,
[email protected]

North East Region
TBC
Contact: Richard Oldham
[email protected].
uk

SUPPORTING THE PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION FOR

SCHOOLS 2015-16

Started in 1960, the public speaking competition ORGANISATION
for schools has become a high-profile forum for
the promotion of effective spoken English by The competition is a jointly organised by the
young people. Speech and Debate team at Dartmouth House
and the public speaking organisers in each ESU
Participation in the competition enables students branch/region.
to gain confidence, fluency of speech and
valuable presentation skills, which are invaluable The Speech and Debate team publicises the
to development in both an academic and competition to schools on a national scale, receives
professional context. entries from schools, produces the competition
materials, sets the topics and liaises with the branch
• For teams of three students from key stage and regional organisers. The Speech and Debate
4 (Years 10 to 11). Each team member team also organises the UK Final.
takes one role: chairperson, speaker or
questioner. Branch organisers run the first round heats and/ or
the branch finals. Regional organisers run the
• The competition uses a non-confrontational regional finals. The name and contact details of
format. The questioner's role, for example, your Regional Organiser are on page 2.
is to question the speaker and attempt to elicit
more information, entering into a dialogue to Branch and regional organisers can be a single
expand upon the points made in the speech. ESU committee member or a team of committee
members. They are responsible for publicising
• The competition starts in the late part of the the competition to schools in their branch area,
autumn term, regional finals are completed providing support and information to the entrant
by mid-spring term and the finals in 2016 will schools, and organising the first round heats and/or
take place on 30th April in Churchill College, branch finals.
Cambridge.

In addition to being an exciting competition for the ENTRY
team, the model achieves targets set by the PLTS
framework as well as a wide range of National The competition is open to schools in England and
Curriculum key concepts across the subject areas. Wales only. Entry is coordinated by the Speech and
Debate team.

Schools register for the competition via the
ESU website (www.esu.org/publicspeaking).
Payment is also received by the Speech and
Debate team. Please note that any school
withdrawing one (or both) team(s) from the
competition less than 2 weeks before the date of the
event will NOT be entitled to a refund.

Some schools may contact their local ESU branch
about the competition. These schools should be
referred to the Speech and Debate team or directly
to the ESU website and should register and pay for
the competition as normal.

SPEECH AND DEBATE COMPETITION can email, write to, or visit the schools in your area
HANDBOOK FOR SCHOOLS and your local ESU branch can offer to sponsor a
school’s entry to encourage participation.
The ESU has produced the Speech and Debate
Competition Handbook for Schools, which The date on which registration closes will be
contains valuable information such as the rules publicised on all promotional materials and via the
of the public speaking competition, details on the website. Branch organisers have the discretion to
format of the competition and guidance for allow late entries, which should be facilitated as far
teachers/coaches, students and adjudicators. The as possible.
handbook is available to download from the ESU
website. Please read the public speaking section of From 2015, all branch organisers are being
the handbook in advance of the competition. encouraged to use the online procedure for
creating heats, organizing the teams and writing
SUPPORT the programmes; support will be provided in which
ever way is needed to effect this.
Each year, the Speech and Debate team hosts a
branch organisers’ evaluation meeting when all PRIZES
aspects of the competition will be discussed. The
evaluation meeting is usually held at Dartmouth The prizes awarded will vary from branch to
House shortly after the UK final in May. It is branch and the awards are at the discretion
hoped that all branch and regional organisers will of the branch organiser. The following are the list
attend the evaluation meeting. of prizes which are typically awarded in a branch
final: winning team, runner up, best
Many schools enter every year. If you are a long- chairperson, best speaker, best questioner
standing supporter of the competition you will and best personality OR outstanding
most likely have personal affiliations with certain personality. Please add your winners to the
schools or teachers. This is very valuable, but you results tab in the online system.
must be careful not to make new entrants feel that
there is any element of favouritism or exclusivity to A winning team and a runner up must be selected
be gained from having entered before. The Public at all rounds of the competition (the runners up are
Speaking Competition for Schools is open to all also the reserve team and will progress to the next
schools and teaching institutions in the UK, and all stage of the competition if the winning team is
entrants receive an equal chance of success. unable to compete for any reason).

The ESU is keen to increase the numbers of Individual awards are a great way to reward
schools entering the competition in all areas and individual members of the team who deserve
there are a number of ways branches can help. You recognition but whose team performance does not
merit the award of winning team or runner up.

RUNNING A ROUND MULTIPLE TEAMS FROM ONE SCHOOL

A suggested plan for branch organisers: If you allow a school to have two teams in a first
round heat or a branch final, the winners and the
1. Check information via your branch web login runners-up cannot come from the same school.
throughout the registration period for updates
on the teams presently registered for the SENDING OUT TOPICS
competition. This allows you to check if there
are teams you are expecting to register but who At least four weeks before the competition, send out
are yet to do so, and to flag up any issues to a letter as in Appendix B, with the list of topics.
Dartmouth House. There are 90 in total and there are different ways
of doing this:
2. Receive information from Dartmouth House
after the registration period has ended. You • First split the list into groups of topics: eg 1-5,
will receive an email with a list of the schools 6-10, 11-15 etc. and send a choice of five topics
registered within your branch, a full list and to each participating school. They choose ONE.
details being available via the website portal also.
• Split the list of topics by the number of
3. Decide when you want to hold the round(s) participating schools and send an equal number
and organise venues. Some branches prefer the of topics to each school, e.g. 8 schools divided
autumn term, others the spring term. Branch by 90 topics = 11 each. They choose ONE.
rounds should be finished by 5th February
2016 and the regional finals should be finished This system ensures that each school receives a
by 17th March 2016. You should co-ordinate discrete list and their chosen topic cannot be the
the dates of both branch and regional finals same as another school’s topic. Should a school be
with regional organisers. Please also ensure that entering two teams, then two discrete lists will be
the dates and results are communicated to the sent, the “A” team choosing from the first, and the
Speech and Debate team as soon as possible. “B” team from the second.

4. Make suitable arrangements with the venue You should then set a deadline by which they must
for your round in advance. You should try to inform you of their choice, see Appendix B.
ensure that there is a separate room for the
adjudicators to retire to, and that refreshments Close to the Heat date, send all 3 judges the
will be available. judging guidelines and timings for the event, send
the schools and the Host school the schedule for
5. Contact suitable adjudicators. Please ensure the event, see Appendix E Make a note of
that at least one judge has previous experience teachers’ mobiles in case of travel delays. Prepare
judging the competition. For additional help, the paper work: programmes, mark sheets, time
please contact your regional organiser or the sheets, certificates, alumni forms, and a bell, if
Speech and Debate team directly. Guidance on you have one, for the timekeeper.
the choice of adjudicators is at Appendix A.

6. Obtain the names of team members for each
school, along with their speaking role, so that
you may cut and paste them to the lists in the
web access; judging sheets, timing sheets and
programmes are produced by using the web
access, and then printed at home. We are
currently working out a new system for
the delivery of certificates, and will let
you know of changes in due course.

7. Organise a timekeeper (either a student from
the host school, a teacher or do it yourself) with
a stopwatch and a bell.

ON THE DAY • Check that the names are correct in the
programme and then fill in the certificates. Pass
• Arrive early and introduce yourself to the them to the chair of the adjudication panel for
contact contact at the host school. his or her signature.

• Bring refreshments for teams with you or • Announce the start of proceedings; a sample
arrange for refreshments to be provided by the speech is at Appendix D.
host school in advance.
• Are you giving the judges a “thank you”
• Check where the toilets are – remember that present? A bottle of wine, a box of chocolates
in a single-sex school there may only be limited or a gift card is perfect.
toilets for the opposite sex.
• At the end of the event collect the adjudicators’
• Is there an adjudication room? The mark sheets and send them to the National
adjudicators should have a private space (e.g. a Coordinator with the results, the time sheet
separate classroom) to go and reach a decision and a copy of the programme for the evening.
after the competition, rather than trying to Also send the Alumni forms back. These
reach a decision in the same room as the documents are important for the Speech and
competitors and the audience. Debate team to have in case the decision or
anything else about the evening is questioned at
• Is it possible for the school bell to be turned a later date; the alumni forms help us keep
off to avoid disturbing the speakers during the in touch with talented speakers that we
competition? If so, has this been done? may be able to help in their speaking
careers.
• Are there enough chairs for the audience?
Where are extra chairs kept? The chairs should If anything does go wrong, let the Speech and
be laid out so as not to make things hard for the Debate team know as soon as possible after the
competitors; try not to place them too far away. competition so they can deal with any complaint.

• Set up a table, three chairs, a jug of water and a Email Host, schools and judges to thank them.
supply of glasses for the competitors. Remember
to change the glasses between presentations. Send the cheque requisition form to
Dartmouth House so that the branch can
• Set up a table and three chairs, a jug of water claim for its expenses.
and three glasses for the judges at the back of
the audience. Enter results in the online system. If your
winners have to withdraw from the regional final
• Try to welcome all the teams as they arrive it is your responsibility to contact the runners-up
and give them a chance to see the room and to and invite them to take the place. Keep the
speak in it before the competition if they wish. Regional Organiser and Speech and Debate
team informed.
• Welcome the adjudicators, show them where
the adjudication room is and provide them PHOTOGRAPHY
with their materials (mark sheets, adjudication
guidelines, a copy of the competition The Data Protection Act’s recommended good
handbook, some blank sheets of paper for notes practice states;
and a pen). For personal use: family members use who attend
the event may film or photograph their own
• Hand out the programme 30 minutes before the children and team colleagues.
first presentation. If a team has not arrived and
you cannot make contact with them to For media use: photographs are permitted but
determine if they are on their way, warn the children and parents should be made aware.
chairpersons and questioners that they may
have to change their topic. If the team does not For school use: again, photographs are permitted as
turn up, re-do the order of speaking and inform long as children and parents are aware of the use.
the teams of the new order (and 30 minutes
should be allowed for preparation from the time
the new speaking order is announced).

APPENDIX A

HINTS FOR ORGANISERS ON SELECTING AND BRIEFING ADJUDICATORS

When it comes to adjudication, the issue very often is that even with comprehensive rules, regulations and
guidelines adjudication is an inherently subjective activity. It depends on an individual’s personal response
to a presentation. Therefore, however detached and erudite an adjudicator may be, there will always be
those who will disagree with his/her verdict, as everyone will respond differently.

However, these differences can be tempered if the adjudicators’ independence and neutrality is stressed.
Adjudicators should not have an obvious affiliation with any of the participating schools.

Choose adjudicators who reflect the following:

1. Geographical Neutrality – Try to ensure that the adjudicators come from outside the catchment
area for the round, if possible.

2. Intellectual Neutrality – Try to ensure that the adjudication panel reflects a range of intellectual
disciplines and opinions. Increasingly, entrants are coming from widely diverging types of school and it
is essential that all types of talent are sympathetically judged. Thus try to avoid a panel which reflects a
particular style or approach.

3. Social Neutrality – Again, a range of social backgrounds helps to address the problem of appearing
unbiased to entrants who come increasingly from differing social backgrounds. If possible, it is a good
idea to have at least one of the judges in their twenties or thirties (i.e. not too far removed from the age
of the competitors).

Another way to overcome perceived bias is by trying to ensure that the adjudicators are following the same
rules as the competitors and other spectators (i.e. the adjudication guidelines and the mark scheme, both
of which are to be found in the competition handbook). Send them these documents once they have
confirmed their availability.

Organisers should try to ensure that their adjudication panels are prepared to offer a clear explanation
of the reasoning for their adjudication, and provide constructive feedback to aid the development of
the young people involved. Both feedback and adjudication should be supported by specific instances
that can act as examples within the heat. More feedback can be offered after the Awards, with
participants being encouraged to come forward and request individual comments to aid them in
developing their public speaking skills.

You should aim for a panel of 3 judges, and choose one as Chair. If there are even numbers, 2 or 4
judges, then the Chair has the deciding vote.

APPENDIX B

SAMPLE LETTER FROM BRANCH ORGANISER TO PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Dear (name of contact),
I am pleased to be able to send you details of the (name of Branch) round of the English-Speaking Union's
Public Speaking Competition for Schools for 2015-16. It will take place on (day, date, time), at (full address of
venue). The winning school will take part in the Branch/Regional Final at (place) on (day, date). The UK Final
will be on 30th April 2016.

The rules of the competition, an explanation of the format of the competition, as well as Participants’
Factsheets for coaches and students are all available in the Speech and Debate Competition Handbook
for Schools which may be downloaded from the ESU website, www.esu.org/programmes/schools

The competition is open only to students in Years 10 and 11 (Key Stage 4).
I enclose a list of topics from which your school should select one. Please send me your selected topic by
(give deadline date) so that the programme for the competition may be prepared.
If you have any questions about the competition, please feel free to call or e-mail me on, (number and
e-mail).

Should you, for any reason have to withdraw from the event, please note that no refund from the
ESU will be possible if withdrawal is done less than 2 weeks before the event.

We hope that your students will find the round an enjoyable and memorable experience,

Yours sincerely,
(name and role)

APPENDIX C

SAMPLE TIMESHEET (COMPLETED)

APPENDIX D

HOW TO MC A ROUND: anguidelinescriptforcomperingtheevent

THE WELCOME

[You may liketo readout thefollowing screed but it wouldbe much better to useyourown wordsto MCtheevent,
providing the basiccontent is there.Itisimportantto relaxand smileandto givethe impressionthateveryoneisinforagood
time!]

“Welcome to the <name> round of the ESU Churchill National Public Speaking Competition for
Schools. This is the first round of a competition which leads firstly to a branch/regional final <whichever
applies> at <venue> on the<day and date> and then to the UK final. <If the competition is sponsored, locally or
nationally, this is the moment to mention the sponsors and especially to welcome their representative if present>.

“In a moment, I shall call upon the first team to speak. Before I do so, may I ask you to check that your
mobile phone is switched off.

“The subjects were chosen by the teams themselves from a list provided by the English-Speaking
Union. Each team consists of: [if this is a branch final you may skip this part – everyone will be aware
of the timings]

• a chairperson, who introduces the topic and the speaker for one minute, controls the question time
and sums up for two minutes at the end;

• a speaker from another school, who speaks on the topic for five minutes - this is not a debate so the
speaker may discuss the pros and cons of the question and come to an opposite conclusion from that
suggested by the phrasing of the topic;

• and a questioner, who will question the speaker for four minutes.

“After the questions from the questioner, the discussion will be opened to the Floor for a period of two
minutes, during which time members of the audience may put brief questions directly to the speaker.
Can I ask supporters of the speaker’s school not to question their own speaker so that there can be no
suspicion of pre-arranged questions?
[Here you need to encourage people to listen hard to the speeches and work out a question to ask- it’s
often the best part of the presentation].
“Finally, the chairperson will take two minutes to sum up the entire presentation.

“You will notice that timing is very important and it is up to the Chair to keep good time and limit the
speaker or questioner if need be. The timekeeper merely records the timings and passes them on to the
adjudicators after the competition. The timekeeper will also give time signals, after 5 minutes of the
speech and when the total time for the presentation, after14 minutes, have elapsed.

“The adjudicators today are:

[brief bio notes stressing public speaking qualifications]

“So now let us begin by calling on the competitors in the first presentation. Competitors,
please wait in your seats until I call you up”

THE PRESENTATIONS

Introduce each presentation in turn giving names of schools only. After each presentation, catch the eye of the chair of the
adjudication panel to know when the adjudicators are ready for the next presentation. Only allow a minute or so between
presentations to try to keep the momentum of the event going.

After the final presentation, point people to the refreshments. Give out the Alumni Forms on a clip board, telling
them that they only need to enter their names, email addresses and school. They will then automatically
receive new letters announcing exciting opportunities such as the exchange programme to the United
States.

THE DELIBERATION

Remind the adjudicators that we want a winning team AND a runner up team in case of emergencies as well as best chair, best
speaker and best questioner ( outstanding personality is optional). Give them the timesheet to use at their discretion. Give them a fixed time
for their deliberation – say 30-40 minutes – the Chair of the Panel is responsible for discipline here! Judges also need to choose a
role to feedback on and to leave time for working on their feedback; alternatively the Chair can give all the general feedback. For
general feedback, advise them not to say more than three things about each role (chairperson, speaker and questioner) The
feedback must be POSITIVE without being patronizing. Be careful that nothing will be said about a competitor’s dress code, hair,
accent, or ethnicity.

THE FEEDBACK AND AWARDS

When the adjudicators are ready, get the audience back and seat the judges in the 3 chairs used by the teams. If a representative
of the sponsors is present, they could present the prizes. Otherwise, distribute first the Participants certificates to all
the teams, then Best Chair, Best Speaker, Best Questioner, then Runner up team and, finally the Winning
team. Other awards may accompany the certificates.
Thank the adjudicators (give them their “thank you” present, if any), the timekeeper, the teams and the teachers and the
host school.

Finally offer individual feedback to those who can stay on.

APPENDIX E

Timings and instructions for hosting PS events – an EXAMPLE

Here are the timings for this evening:
4.45pm: I arrive soon to be followed by the judges

Please have someone on hand to guide judges and teams to the speaking venue.
4.30 - 5.00pm teams arrive; refreshments
5.00pm: I open proceedings and hand out programmes
5.00 - 5.30pm teams meet with each other.
5.30pm: presentations begin. 6 teams.
7.00pm: end of presentations: finish refreshments. Judges retire
7.45pm: General feedback; results; award of certificates; farewells
8.00pm: Individual feedback to those who wish to stay and receive it
8.30pm: Finish
Please make those who have the responsibility for locking up aware of the end time.

Request to the Host
Could you provide refreshments, therefore for about 35 people?
We try to segregate the students from the adults, once they have met up to discuss; is that possible?
We also need a room for the judges to deliberate in after the speaking is over.
Can you provide a student timekeeper?

APPENDIX F



The English-Speaking Union
Dartmouth House
37 Charles Street
London W1J 5ED

+44 (0)20 7529 1550
[email protected]
www.esu.org

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