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Become part of a 5,000+ community which believes that speaking and listening skills are central to personal fulfilment and cultural understanding

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One-off or regular donations are vital to our work, helping us ensure that young people everywhere have the oracy skills they need to thrive

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Volunteer

We’re hugely grateful to those who volunteer their time in helping to organise and run ESU programmes and competitions. Find out how you could help

Volunteer

‘We rely on the generous support of our members, donors and volunteers to ensure we can reach those children who need our help most’

Home > Competitions

Take your students’ skills to the next level with one of our competitions

Public Speaking Competition

WHAT: Largest public speaking competition for schools in England and Wales

AGE: Years 9-11

HOW: Registration opens in late June/early July

Find out more

Schools’
Mace

WHAT: The oldest and largest debating competition for schools

AGE: Years 7-13

HOW: Registrations open in the summer term

Find out more

Performing Shakespeare

WHAT: Inclusive, accessible competition allowing students to perform Shakespeare

AGE: Years 7, 8 and 9

HOW: Registration opens in December

Find out more

London
Debate
Challenge

WHAT: Debating competition for London state schools

AGE: Years 7, 8 and 9

HOW: Heats run in May, with regional finals in June

Find out more

World Schools Debating Championship

WHAT: The most respected international English-language debating competition

AGE: Students aged 14-19

HOW: Applications open in late August each year

Find out more
It’s that great sense of achievement, that they’ve done something really quite challenging

Nicola Clayton Jones

Teacher

Watch the video

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Programmes

Find out more about our debating, public speaking and cultural exchange programmes.

Our educational approach

We work with teachers to improve oracy skills and cross-cultural understanding so that all young people, regardless of their background, can make their voices heard.

Our mission

The ESU’s mission is to give young people the speaking and listening skills and cross-cultural understanding they need to thrive.

Registered charity number: 273136

Dartmouth House, 37 Charles Street, London W1J 5ED. Tel. 020 7529 1550

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