A SOUTH Wilts Grammar School student has been crowned the best young public speaker in England and Wales after impressing judges in a prestigious national competition.

Charlotte Hagelthorn was named Best Speaker in the English-Speaking Union’s Public Speaking Competition 2026, following the grand final at Dartmouth House in Mayfair.

The competition – the largest of its kind in England and Wales – saw more than 1,500 young people take part, with around 360 school teams competing across the country.

Charlotte secured the title with a speech exploring the topic: “The pressure to be authentic can turn into a performance.”

Judges praised her clarity, enthusiasm and humour, helping her stand out in a high-calibre final.

Among the judges was Susan Acland-Hood, acting permanent secretary at the Department for Education, who praised the quality of the finalists.

She said: “I thought there was absolutely brilliant skill and knowledge on show today. People were talking really intentionally and thoughtfully about things they knew about, in a way that made great use of learned and developed skills and had a real impact on the audience.”

The annual competition sees pupils take on the role of speaker, chair or questioner, testing skills in debate, listening and quick thinking.

This year’s judging panel was chaired by broadcaster and author Anita Anand, with past winners including impressionist Rory Bremner.

Charlotte’s success marks a major achievement for South Wilts Grammar School on the national stage.