Debating Clubs are not a new initiative – in fact many schools have had them – but sadly it seems to be a dying art. The focus on GCSE success and therefore the ‘extra revision’ sessions has all too often seen the demise of the extra curricular clubs including the debating club. Time for a revivial? Undoubtedly. Young people are debaters. They do it daily, hourly – sometimes minutely – on various social media platforms and they can be really very good at it. They are the authority on the ‘put down’, can spot ‘fake news’ and know how to manipulate their audience in a way that would make even Donald Trump jealous. But in these situations their real audience is limited, the interactions undeveloped and they are often reduced to hurling petty insults. What if they had a platform – and the tools –upon which to develop their skills and share their new knowledge in a more meaningful way?
Debating Club is the answer in our school.
The Wensleydale School Debate Team are currently involved in the English Speakers Union Mace Competition. This is a national competition that culminates in the final in London. The team which comprises of Maddie Hey (Year 10), Molly Hunter (Year 8) and Evelyn Semple (Year 8) have been competing during the first two rounds against teams of sixth formers, which shows how well they have done to have now reached the regional final. On Monday at Dame Allan’s School in Newcastle they debated whether the ‘Commercialisation of the Pride movement is regrettable’ and were able to defeat Newcastle Royal Grammar School.
We are super proud of them and it just goes to show how a small rural secondary school can take on the big schools and be victorious.
(As one of the team was away from school today- a photograph of our team will follow next week)
