Adjudication & conflict-of-interest policy.

Applies to all coaching undertaken by Fortitudo Studios Drama · Published August 2026 · Reviewed annually

The reason to choose this studio is that I adjudicate. That same fact creates an obvious question, and parents deserve a clear answer rather than a reassuring silence. This page is that answer. It is public so that you can hold me to it — and so that the parent of a competitor I do not coach can read it too.

1. I do not adjudicate any section a student of mine competes in

This is absolute and it is not a judgement call made on the day. If a learner I coach is entered in a section, I withdraw from adjudicating that section. There is no threshold, no exception for a student I have seen only once, and no discretion exercised in the moment.

2. Every coached learner is declared to organisers in advance

I maintain a current register of every learner I coach, in any format — group class, private session, or a single speech package. That register goes to the organising committee before each event, not in response to a query afterwards. Organisers can then allocate sections knowing where I must be kept away.

3. The learner writes their own speech

A market exists in South Africa for ready-written competition speeches. I am not part of it and I will not be. What I sell is method: topic analysis, argument construction, structure, rhetorical technique and delivery. The learner writes every draft.

This is partly principle and partly practical. Most competition rules require the entrant's own work. An adjudicator selling manuscripts into competitions he judges would deserve to lose the credential — and the student would be left unable to defend a word of it under questioning.

I retain drafts and coaching notes for every speaking client, which means the learner's authorship can be demonstrated if it is ever questioned.

4. Coaching does not buy influence, and cannot

No fee paid to this studio affects any result anywhere. Since I recuse from every section involving my own students, I am not in a position to influence their marks even if I wished to. Where a student of mine competes, they are adjudicated by someone with no connection to me at all — which is exactly as it should be.

5. What I ask of you

• Tell me at enrolment which eisteddfods and competitions the learner intends to enter, so I can declare correctly and early.
• Tell me if entries change during the year.
• Do not ask me for information about other entrants, adjudication panels or likely results. I will decline, and it will be awkward for both of us.

6. Raising a concern

If you believe this policy has been departed from, in spirit or in letter, contact me directly at gertjiefourie@icloud.com or on 072 243 6950. You are equally entitled to raise it with the relevant eisteddfod organising committee without speaking to me first, and I would not regard doing so as a discourtesy.

Why this is published

A conflict that is declared, documented and structurally prevented is manageable. One that is quietly hoped-about is not. Publishing the policy costs me nothing if I follow it, and it gives every parent — client or not — something concrete to measure me against.