Palmer Trophy 2025

At Uplands Academy, we encourage all our students to embrace the many opportunities available beyond the classroom. Whether it's starring in the school production, playing for one of our sports teams, or joining our ambassador and student leadership programme, these experiences help students develop skills, gain confidence, and create lasting memories.

On 20 November, nineteen of our Year 8 finalists took to the stage for our annual Palmer Trophy public speaking competition. It was an inspiring evening showcasing the talent, hard work, and courage of our students, with parents, carers and staff in attendance to cheer them on.  Our judges were extremely impressed with how confidently, engagingly, and articulately each student spoke about 'A Change I Would Like to See in the World.'

A huge thank you to Mrs Cantrell, Teacher of English, for organising the event. She commented, 'It was such a privilege to watch our students speak out so confidently and eloquently about topics they are passionate about and which reflect the world that we currently live in. Public speaking is a challenging but important life skill and the finalists rose to the challenge brilliantly.'

Congratulations to all students who took part, and in particular to this year's winner. Well done Ellie!