Pupils across the senior school have been perfecting their debating skills in a number of events this term.
Just as the House Debating competition got underway, Colfe’s was delighted to once again host the annual Debating Workshop and to welcome pupils from partner school Conisborough College who joined Colfe’s pupils from Years 7-9 in an afternoon of stimulating debate.
Designed to stretch, challenge and inspire, this event introduced many of the pupils to the world of the Mace style debate. After a workshop and watching a modelled debate from experienced pupils from Years 11-13, the pupils worked in break-out groups, mixed by age and school, to prepare for their own debate. The teams then got to put their newly-learned practice to the test by delivering debates for themselves. Motions debated were: This house would make achieving a GCSE grade 5 in another language compulsory alongside Maths and English, and This house would introduce free school meals for all children, regardless of family income.
Academic Enrichment Co-ordinator Reema Hooks said: “The students greatly enjoyed the workshop and every one of them took part in the event with great enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Both the students from Colfe’s and Conisborough College quickly got to grips with the debating purpose, format and terminology, and conducted their debates with passion and respect for their opposing teams. We saw some very lively debates with lots of great rhetoric, and some extremely impressive debating skills emerging.”
Feedback from pupils included:
Minidi, Y8 (Conisborough College): Today is teaching me how to argue in an organised and respectful way, and how to organise my thoughts.
Ermina, Y9 (Conisborough College): I like making my point, but can get nervous, so this is giving me confidence to stand up and speak to people and speak in public.
Freddie, Y9 (Colfe’s): An organised debate is a safe space, and allows you to speak your mind and get your point across in a civilised way.
Kevin, Y8 (Conisborough): What I enjoy most about debating is how you can learn to get to know other people’s minds and thoughts, and how you can then bounce off their answers.
Illustrating just how debating skills are honed by such events, the Senior debating team admirably represented Colfe’s in the second round of the English Speaking Union Schools’ Mace Debating competition this week. Following their triumph in the first round, Year 11’s Natalie and Anna and Year 13’s Janaii, along with Ned as reserve, took on Eltham College in the next heat of this prestigious national competition. The team argued in opposition to the motion that This house would remove copyright for musical works, resulting in a fiercely contested debate in which Colfe’s was just pipped to the post.
Separately, six students took part in the Oxford Schools’ Debating competition, one of the most competitive events of the season. The event was a debating debut for Felix, Kirabo (Y12), Michael and Verity (Y10), while Y11’s Natalie was on her third debating event of a busy week.
Colfe’s Debating Co-ordinator Miranda Solley said: “Well done to our teams. The Senior team had an excellent performance, with debates that were well-researched and thoughtful, considering the financial and cultural impacts on music artists of this motion. For the students new to debating, their debut at the Oxford Schools’ Debating competiton was extremely impressive in a highly competitive and daunting environment, and we are very proud of them all for holding their own so well. Valuable feedback and lessons were gained from the event, and I look forward to seeing what these students can do next time.”