Parent guide · Blooms, ages 11–15
How can my child give a school annual day speech in English?
A student’s annual day speech is usually a welcome speech or a vote of thanks: short (one to two minutes), warm and well organised. It greets the chief guest, principal, teachers and parents by role, says a few words about the school year, and ends with thanks or good wishes. Practising it on stage-like conditions, standing and using a mic if possible, makes the day much easier.
Key takeaways
- Two common student speeches: the welcome speech and the vote of thanks.
- Greet people in order: chief guest, principal, teachers, parents, friends.
- Keep it to one or two minutes.
- Mention one or two real highlights of the year.
- Practise standing up, ideally with a mic.
What is a sample annual day welcome speech?
Good evening to our honourable chief guest, our respected Principal, dear teachers, parents and my friends.
On behalf of everyone at our school, I warmly welcome you to our Annual Day celebration. Tonight is special because it brings together a whole year of hard work, learning and fun.
This year our students won prizes in sports and quizzes, planted trees on our campus and organised a charity drive for a local shelter. Tonight you will see dances, songs and a play prepared by students of every class.
We are grateful to our teachers for their patience, and to our parents for their constant support. We hope you enjoy every moment of the evening.
Thank you, and welcome once again.
What is a sample vote of thanks?
Good evening everyone.
As this wonderful evening comes to an end, it is my privilege to propose the vote of thanks. We thank our chief guest for joining us and for the inspiring words. We thank our Principal for guiding us all year, and our teachers for the many hours of practice that made tonight’s performances possible. A big thank you to our parents, the support staff, and every student who performed or helped. Thank you all for making this evening a success.
How should a welcome speech be structured?
- Greeting by role: chief guest, principal, teachers, parents, students.
- Welcome: one or two warm lines about the occasion.
- Highlights: one or two real achievements of the year.
- What’s coming: a line about the evening’s programme.
- Close: thanks and a final welcome.
How can my child prepare for the stage?
- Find out the time limit and who the chief guest is, with their correct name and title.
- Practise standing, with a small card, three to five times; small, regular practice in front of others helps nerves settle.1
- Hold the mic about a hand’s width from the mouth and speak a little slower than usual.
- Pause after greetings and before the final line.
- Look up at different parts of the audience, not only at the card.
How do Little Lingos classes help?
In Blooms, our stage for ages 11 to 15, teens plan and deliver talks, open strong, use voice and pace and handle questions in live 40-minute classes of 3 to 6. See our public speaking classes.
Keep reading: extempore speech tips, debate topics for students and Republic Day speech.
Questions parents ask
Questions parents ask
How long should an annual day welcome speech be?
One to two minutes is usually right. Check the time the school has given in the programme.
In what order should we greet people in a speech?
Usually the chief guest first, then the principal, teachers, parents and students. Follow your school’s usual order if it has one.
What is a vote of thanks?
A short speech at the end of an event that thanks the chief guest, principal, teachers, parents, staff and performers for making it a success.
Can my child read from paper on stage?
A small card with key words is fine. Reading every word from a sheet makes it harder to look at the audience, so practise until only key words are needed.
How can my child stay calm on stage?
Practise several times at home, breathe slowly before walking up, and look at a few friendly faces. A pause is fine if they lose their place.
Sources
- Ebrahimi, O. V., Pallesen, S., Kenter, R. M. F., & Nordgreen, T. (2019). “Psychological interventions for the fear of public speaking: A meta-analysis.” Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 488. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00488.
Sources checked 3 November 2026. This guide is general information for parents, not medical, psychological or speech-therapy advice.
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