Think of finishing school and you’re likely to think of young ladies in pastel twin sets walking around with books on their heads, learning how to arrange flowers and host dinner parties.

Like the debutantes’ ball, the finishing school is a rather dated concept, exclusive to a privileged few.

But Sally Darley aims to change all that with her own Yorkshire finishing school, providing accessible courses in good manners, diction, how to walk and sit properly and how to look presentable.

Her students range from a law undergraduate trying to improve public speaking skills to business people keen to build confidence in the office. She also helps people prepare for occasions such as weddings and Christenings.

As well as weekly classes at Bagden Hall in Denby Dale, Sally visits clients in their homes, providing tuition in everything from waltzing to starting a conversation at a dinner party.

“It’s the only finishing school in Yorkshire,” says Sally. “I don’t teach French cookery or flower arranging, beauty or hair-styling, although I do offer advice in those areas. My focus is on helping people improve their social skills, which in turn builds confidence and the ability to communicate clearly.

“I work with people from various backgrounds, from teenagers to brides-to-be preparing for their big day. The term ‘finishing school’ is quite unfortunate; it makes people think of somewhere girls go after boarding school. For me, it’s about making a new start in life, it’s something accessible and relevant.”

Originally intended to complete young women’s education, finishing schools traditionally consisted of a one-year course, with emphasis on cultural and social activities. Switzerland is renowned for its private finishing schools and the term is also occasionally used for small women’s colleges on America’s East Coast, traditionally preparing female students for marriage.

“There are still traditional finishing schools in the UK, mostly in the South, and in Switzerland,” says Sally. “Princess Diana went to a Swiss finishing school and it is said that while she was there, arrangements were being made for her to marry the Prince of Wales.”

Indeed, how to behave in the company of a prince is something Sally teaches herself. “I cover the etiquette required for greeting a prince, and dining and dancing with one, and how to address Royalty in general,” she says. “You never know when you may need those skills!”

The four main areas Sally covers are elocution, etiquette, deportment and grooming – in that order.

“Elocution is the most difficult, it’s the area people make the slowest progress with,” she says. “Elocution doesn’t mean getting rid of a regional accent; that can be a precious thing, especially these days when people move around the country so much. It’s important to hang on to your local accent, and it can make people feel more affectionate towards you. But there’s a difference between a regional accent and lazy speech. I train people to speak properly, not lazily.

“If you have an attractive speaking voice, you’ll gain more respect. Students learn about vocal techniques such as pronunciation, accent, diction, projection, improvisation and expression. Reading aloud in class helps students speak with confidence.”

Sally uses an elocution technique from the 1930s. “It’s an old-fashioned structure but it works,” she says. “It involves slowing down when you speak, lowering pitch, and opening the mouth properly rather than mumbling. One young lady I worked with looked beautiful – until she opened her mouth to speak. When people first come to me I record them speaking then play it back, which horrifies them! Most people don’t realise how badly they speak.

“Without knowing it, people use the wrong pronunciation or even the wrong words. We look at acceptable words; whether we say ‘lounge’ or ‘sitting-room’ or a ‘couch’ or ‘settee’. Many words people take for granted are actually Americanisms; if you’re unwell for example, you should say you’re ‘ill’ not ‘sick’. Some words, such as privacy, are used with the American pronunciation, which isn’t acceptable.

“I try to encourage a fascination with language, so people know where words come from and how they should be used,” adds Sally. “I’ve always got an Oxford English Dictionary to hand, and I use old books from the 1920s. The same standards still apply.”

With etiquette, Sally teaches how to greet people, at social functions and in the workplace, and how to start a conversation. “We look at focusing on the person you’re talking to, making eye contact, and how to change a subject swiftly,” she says. “Whether it’s a party or business meeting, the same basic rules apply.

“Some people have an event coming up, such as a wedding, and need help preparing a speech. Public speaking is quite a skill and can be a terrifying prospect.

“We also look at how to answer the telephone, how to introduce people and say thank you to a host. The rules of correct behaviour in society are changing, sometimes subtly. It’s important not to make a faux pas, especially in a formal situation. There are codes of etiquette for different events, people need help getting to grips with all that.”

At the heart of Sally’s ethos is basic good manners.

“How you behave towards others is important in all areas of life,” she says. “Good manners are the bedrock of society. From the age of three, we are taught manners. Having consideration for others is the basis of a civilised society, without that we’d have chaos.”

For deportment, Sally uses the tried and tested method of walking with a book balanced on the head. “It’s good for posture and creates instant results,” she says. “I use it early on to break the ice, it’s like a party game. One young man I work with wants to be an actor; as well as developing his speaking skills he wants to move well on stage, so for him deportment is valuable.

“The way a person holds themselves as they stand, sit or walk gives a lot away. An ungainly gait is unattractive.

“My courses cover how to sit, stand, walk and dance.”

Sally also helps people put together a good wardrobe, for various social occasions. “I get enquiries from many men, as well as women, about this,” she says. “How you look is as important as how you behave; it creates a first impression, it gives you confidence and helps you communicate and take control of a situation.”

Sally went to finishing school classes aged 14 and 16 and learned vital life skills. “It was the first time I’d come across such high standards and I learned all sorts of things I wouldn’t normally have learned, from how to walk properly to how to use cutlery correctly,” she says. “I loved it. There weren’t many in my class and I relished the attention focused on me; it gave me so much confidence. Some girls were preparing to become models, but for me it was learning skills for life.”

Sally’s finishing school has attracted interest from BBC1’s Blue Peter and Newsround programmes, due to feature her this year, and now she’s preparing to set up an academy for teenagers, in Holmfirth.

“I get enquiries from mums and grandmas keen for teenagers to improve social skills,” she says. “There’s a decline in social standards and these days young people aren’t generally taught how to eat properly, or talk and walk with eloquence and grace. That’s a great shame, as it helps them in so many areas of life.”

Sally finds it rewarding to see good results at the end of her courses. “I enjoy the process of creating self-confident, fine individuals ready to tackle today’s modern world,” she smiles. “You don’t have to go to Switzerland to learn that.”

* For more about Sally Darley’s English Finishing School ring (01484) 687038 or visit wordofmouthspeech.co.uk