A Petersfield student has settled a national debate after taking one of the top prizes in a public speaking competition for schools.

Churcher’s College student Zhara Ireland has every reason to shout after being named Best Chair at the event organized by the English Speaking Union (ESU) and Churchill Society.

She beat eleven other semi-finalists during the showpiece at Churchill College in Cambridge that showcased the ability of students to chair events and ask insightful questions.

The event was the culmination of a contest that included more than 100 heats and attracted more than 350 teams from schools across England and Wales.

The grand final was judged by public speaking and oracy experts with the panel including the award-winning ITV senior correspondent John Ray.

Judges were impressed with the maturity of the students with final day topics including the ethics of modern tourism and the true meaning of apologies.