INTER HOUSE DEBATING – SEMI FINALS

This year, we began the Inter-House competitions with Debating, which started off on the 6^th of September, 2017.

Our first Semi-Final was for Key Stage 3, and the standard of debates we witnessed outshone those of previous years within this Key Stage by a mile! Our younger students were confident, well-informed and full of fire, while maintaining decorum and class during all of their speeches. It was so heartening to see them speak with such formality, and on issues which went well beyond their knowledge in the classroom. Teams Shakespeare and Newton went forward to the Final, and I am confident that this will be a truly outstanding contest next week.

What followed the next day with Key Stage 4 was also truly spectacular. This Key Stage of students dealt with the topic of free speech with regards comments on the internet, and the level of understanding harboured by our young people upon this subject was impressive. Thorough research was evident, and the Scott and Nobel teams emerged victorious, and are on their way to what will most definitely be a closely contested Final debate.

Last but not least, we witnessed a competitive and intense rounds of debates for Key Stage 5. Our Senior debaters who had spent so many days training their juniors, now final had the opportunity to showcase their debating prowess and oratory talent, and by no means did this disappoint! Discussing issues of Government subsidies for renewable energy, they provided us with an afternoon of information and well-planned argument, and it must be said that teams Nobel and Newton did immensely well to reach the Final next Monday.

Overall, I am so proud of how our young debaters represented their Houses and teams, and would like to send a huge congratulations to everyone involved in this endeavor. I am also very grateful to our Judges who were there to witness our students at their oratory best. We now have next week’s Final debates to look forward to, and I hope everyone brings forward their best, with maximum preparation and complete confidence!

Ms. Mahum Kidwai