STUDENTS from a Herefordshire school have taken part in public speaking challenge.

Year 10 students of the Hereford Academy attended a "speak out” challenge.

The workshop’s aim was to give tips and advice on how students could deliver a speech on a topic of their choice, lasting for a minimum of one-and-a-half minutes.

Speeches were to be delivered without any notes and in front of their peers by the end of the day.

Each student was then judged on their topic, voice control, stance, body language and deliverance.

Two students were then picked to represent the school at the regional final at Birmingham University.

Feedback from students about the challenge was positive. One said the workshop helped them to become more confident.

One student said: “It was really enjoyable and allowed me to understand my peers more”.

Another said it gave them an opportunity to speak about something they are interested in, and that it was fun and educational at the same time.

The trainer said the pupils were respectful towards each other and really threw themselves into the challenge.

They said the students pushed themselves out of their comfort zones, and that their impeccable behaviour and the maturity and support they showed each other was impressive.

Mrs Davies, Careers Advisor at the School, said she and the school were extremely proud of the students’ dedication on improving their speeches and how much their confidence had improved over the weeks leading up to the final.