Pupils find voice for Lionheart Speaks
Lionheart Speaks – our Trust-wide public speaking initiative – returned for a fourth successive year in late April, giving pupils from across Lionheart Educational Trust a platform to deliver prepared speeches to a live audience.
Before stepping on stage at a packed Y Theatre, though, pupils from Key Stage 2 through to Sixth Form took part in public speaking workshops delivered by oracy charity Talk the Talk. During these sessions, pupils focused on planning and structuring a speech, considering their audience and developing effective delivery techniques.
Following in‑school selection rounds, pupils were invited to represent their school at Leicester’s oldest theatre. Standing before a live audience, they spoke with confidence and maturity on topics important to them. These included issues such as climate change and pollution, gender inequality, including its impact within sport, the role of artificial intelligence in education, child poverty and the importance of creative subjects.
Many of the themes explored were linked to our Global Issues Curriculum, which is taught across Lionheart schools and encourages pupils to engage with real world issues that extend beyond the classroom.
Reflecting the Trust’s strong collaborative learning culture, pupils also came together to deliver a shared ensemble performance of A Brave and Startling Truth by Maya Angelou. The performance highlighted the power of collective voice and the importance of speaking with clarity and purpose.
A key extracurricular initiative, Lionheart Speaks reinforces our commitment to developing pupils’ confidence and communication skills through oracy. It also allows them to hone skills that will benefit them both in school and beyond, while giving them a platform to use their voice to promote positive social change.
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Lionheart Educational Trust