Gifted & Talented students in Years 7-11 have been taking part in the Debate Mate programme once again this year as a way to improve students’ speaking and listening skills, as well as giving them more confidence in their everyday lives. We held an initial meeting early in the Autumn Term to establish interest, and over 70 students attended – an outstanding response.
A core group of debaters has been meeting each Wednesday. The club is run by specially-trained university students, with students learning the art of public speaking through a series of fun and interactive exercises and games. On Thursday 5 November, a group of students attended the official launch of this year’s Debate Mate, and students listened to some of the best students in the country take part in a lively and interesting debate.
During the Spring and Summer Terms, our boys will enter into several competitions, including the Debate Mate Cup and the Urban Debate League. The boys certainly have a lot to live up to – last year’s cohort placed fourteenth in the country during the Urban Debate League! We look forward to tracking their progress over the coming months – follow us on Twitter for all the latest.
Tags: 2015-16, Debate Mate, Debating, Year 10, Year 11, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9