OUTSTANDING pupils have received accolades at the 19th annual Oldham Student of the Year Award ceremony.

The event, hosted by The Rotary Club of Oldham and its president Derek Berryman, took place at the Civic Centre and the gongs were presented by the mayor Cllr Javid Iqbal.

Youngsters aged in categories aged 11-16, Years 7 to 11, and aged 16 and above, years 11 and 12, received the awards.

Nominations were invited from schools on behalf of students who demonstrate academic progress alongside outstanding contributions to their school, community or family.

The student may have worked alone or in a group and will have shown initiative, leadership and commitment over a long period of time - perhaps one or two years or longer.

The club received 34 nominations from nine schools, academies or colleges.

Sponsors of the event were Merinox Tubing Specialists of Oldham, Oldham Sixth Form College, Tesco and The Rotary Club of Oldham.

In welcoming the mayor, the students and staff, Rotarian Bernard Stone gave a brief resume of Rotary and the work it carries out globally, including disaster aid and health issues, especially the eradication of polio, which the organisation has been involved in for 30 plus years.

He also drew the attention of the students to the variety of ways that Rotary helps young people through its youth exchange programme and its youth leadership awards.

The 2019 winners and runners up are:

11-16: Winner Joseph Taylor, Saddleworth School; runner-up Autumn Brown, Blue Coat School; special award Ava Taylor, Hulme Grammar School

16+: Winner Courtney Hopwood, Oldham Sixth Form College; runner-up Shohan Rahman, Oldham Sixth Form College; special award, Joseph Wheeler, Blue Coat School.

A special event featuring Prize Winning Choirs from the 35th Oldham Primary Schools Choral Speaking Festival 2019

Choral Speakers at the Coliseum – Presentation Event

As President of Oldham Metro Rotary Club I am pleased to welcome all our young participants to this special event arising out of the 35th Oldham Choral Speaking Festival which was held on 19th, 21st, & 22nd March 2019 at the Coliseum Theatre, Oldham and which featured 2400 pupils drawn from 27 Oldham Primary Schools

For most of the Festival’s history the event has been hosted by the Coliseum and the club has always felt there was something special – for youngsters and adults – about appearing on the stage of a live Theatre, so we were particularly pleased to be invited to the Coliseum for this year’s Festival and again for this Presentation Event. This morning we feature those groups from the Festival which won trophies or gained special commendations from our Adjudicator, Ann Warr. We are delighted to bring the groups together to perform for and listen to each other and, as last year proved, a splendid morning is in prospect. Unfortunately with the Choirs taking up 406 out of 510 seats the requests for seats for parents/carers/supporters far exceeded the capacity of the Coliseum and we recognise that many will be disappointed, but we see the primary audience as the children as they come to listen to and perform for the ‘best of the best’.

Today is about celebrating the talent and achievements of all these our youngsters, and each performance will be followed by the presentation of their Trophy or Certificate of Commendation together with the citation awarded for their performance in the Festival.

The Choral Speaking Festival was initiated by Oldham Metro Rotary Club in 1985 with support from teachers in Oldham and the Oldham Education Department, and this year we calculate that the total number of pupils involved since then in this amazing event is over 60,000.

As anyone who was present during the 7 sessions of the Festival will confirm, it was a great pleasure and privilege to see the enthusiasm and skill of the children. They (and their teachers) had clearly worked hard in their preparation but on each of the days so obviously enjoyed taking the stage and giving of their very best. The Festival has certainly fulfilled its aims of promoting confidence in the spoken word, of sponsoring teamwork and enhancing community cohesion.

We, in Oldham Metro, have been proud to facilitate this opportunity for the children and this spectacle for the town.

Jack Wild President, Rotary Club of Oldham Metro

Presentations will be made by:

District Governor Rotary District 1285 Anthony Graves;

Rachelle Carter & Amelia Clayton, Madeleine Lindley Books;

John Cleary Originator of the Festival;

Acting Chief Executive Oldham Coliseum Theatre Susan Wildman;

Jack Wild President Oldham Metro Rotary Club;

Directorate of Education, Skills & Early Years, Oldham MBC

Ann Warr Adjudicator

Special Guests

The above presenters plus Stan & Sheila Bowes, John Holder, Mrs. Marilyn Powell, Mrs. Sue Hutchinson, Mrs. D. Kelly.

Master of Ceremonies Mel Farrar

Infant Trophy: Freehold Primary Academy Y1 (Purple)

Lead Teacher: Mr. Chadwick.

Mr. Shadow’s Shoes by Paul Cookson; As soon as Fred gets out of bed by Jack Prelutsky

A well-chosen programme contrasting in both content and presentation. A choir who were mostly clear but co-operated well as a team and obviously enjoyed performing poetry.

Presentation of the Infant Trophy (R – Y2) District Governor 1285 Anthony Graves

Lower Junior Trophy: Propps Hall Primary School Y4

Lead Teacher: Miss Thompson

The Song of the Jellicles by TS Eliot; Dog in the Playground by Allan Ahlberg

An impressive start as the children moved up on to the stage. Visually interesting movement and gesture in both poems but never interfering with or losing their excellent clarity. Lots of tonal variation with a sense of the varying sounds and quality of the English language.

Presentation of Lower Junior Trophy (Y3-4) - Oldham MBC

Adjudicator’s Special Commendation: Freehold Y3 (Lime)

Lead Teacher: Miss Greenwood

The Lobster-Quadrille by Lewis Carroll; Vanilla Van Ghost by Ivan Jones

A pleasingly varied programme with changing mood from one piece to another using variation of tone to achieve this - from the dance of the Lobster Quadrille to the eerie mood of Vanilla Van Ghost.

Upper Junior Trophy : Medlock Valley Primary School Y5 & Y6

Lead Teacher: Helen Buckley

The Ghost Teacher by Allen Ahlberg; The Case of the Missing Cookies by Arden Davidson

A team working together in unison and obviously well-rehearsed . a contrasting programme; the choir interpreting the mood and content of each piece.

Presentation of the Upper Junior Trophy (Open) by Susan Wildman

Adjudicator’s Special Commendation: Burnley Brow Community School Y2 M

Lead Teacher: Mrs Shakira Akhtar

The Grinch by Dr Suess; Sick by Shel Silverstein

A fun choir – good for the audience to see the children’s enjoying their performance of poetry. The Grinch especially was very well performed.

Madeleine Lindley Trophy: Higher Failsworth Primary (Reception)

Lead Teacher: Mrs Burns

Hugger Mugger by Kit Wright; The Small Ghostie by Barbara Ireson

Great co-operation between the group especially considering their age. Words were clear most of the time and the choir showed a good understanding of the difference in the mood of the two poems using some tonal variation.

Presentation of the Madeleine Lindley Trophy (Open)

by Mrs. Rachelle Carter and Mrs Amelia Clayton

Adjudicator’s Special Commendation: Rushcroft Primary School Y3 .

Lead Teacher: Mrs Daynes

The Dentist and the Crocodile by Roald Dahl

I opened a book (based on a poem by Michael Rosen, adapted by year 3}

A good choice of programme and excellent story telling particularly with the Dentist and the Crocodile . The Choir listened to and co-operated with one another, their words always clear to the audience.

John Cleary Trophy : St. Agnes CE Primary School 3/4

Lead Teacher: Mr Kevyn Taylor

Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf by Roald Dahl; Matilda by Hillaire Belloc

This group chose to do two narrative poems and in both case the story line was well communicated to the audience. The mood was established in each case and the whole choir lived the story line. A most impressive ending in Matilda.

Presentation of the John Cleary Trophy (Open) by John Cleary

Audrey Carter Trophy : Blackshaw Lane Primary School Y5

Lead Teacher: Mrs. Hargreaves

The Headteacher by Megan Leeks and Jake Clarke;

Hanging with Hotdogs by Evie Barker (written by the children)

Not only had the children with their head teacher produced two poems of quality. One required knowledge of Alfred Noyes “The Highwayman” together with an understanding of the unique rhythms of the poem. The second piece, written by the children on their own, was full of fun but still well written.

Presentation of the Audrey Carter Trophy (Open) by Jack Wild

Adjudicator’s Special Commendation: Freehold Primary Academy Y4 Peach

Lead Teacher: Miss Wild

Gran, can you rap? By Jack Ousby; The Zombie by Jack Prelutsky

A well chosen programme –showing the Choir’s range of ability physically and vocally. Words mostly clear to the audience. This choir had found a contrast physically as they moved from rap to Zombie which was visually most effective.

Ann Warr Trophy: Higher Failsworth Primary School Year 1

Lead Teachers Miss Angela Taylor and Miss Amy Green

Fire by Shirley Hughes ; Smiling is Infectious by Spike Milligan

This was a big choir and everyone was involved – all giving of their best with fine clarity. The choir full of energy and enthusiasm which communicated itself to the audience.

Presentation of the Ann Warr Trophy (Open) by Ann Warr

Overall comments from our International Adjudicator Ann Warr

Standards in 2019 are, as ever, still improving which is wonderful to see. It is a great tribute to organisers and teachers that children can learn to love the English language, and poetry in particular, and that they can have the opportunity to perform on the Coliseum Theatre stage.

Choral Speaking is an education in itself. The project starts with the choice of poem, moves through rehearsals, to performance. Not only do the children learn to speak but they also learn to work together – to co-operate – and produce a piece of worthwhile artistic teamwork. I believe this opportunity is more important than any accolades with which they may go away.

Overall it is clear that the children had worked really hard in preparation but then took great delight and had great fun in giving their performances. Drawing 2300 pupils from some 27 schools across Oldham this was another very successful Festival which brings credit to the pupils, their teachers, the schools and the town. Well done!!!

Ann Warr Adjudicator B.Ed, LGSM, PGCA, Cert.Ed., FRSA

The Ann Warr Trophy

In recognition of the tremendous contribution Ann Warr has made to the Oldham Primary Schools Choral Speaking Festival over many years this year we are pleased to present a new Trophy in her name. Ann wanted it to be awarded each year for a performance which shows particularly a Choir’s love and appreciation of poetry.

There will be no Interval