A Well-Researched & Engaging Inter-House Debate Final Demonstrated the Strengths of all Involved

A well-researched and engaging Inter-House Debating final demonstrated the strengths of all involved.

"Blackford met Arion House in the final of the Inter-House Debating competition on the morning of Monday, March 25^th. Both sides demonstrated skill and presentation flair in their arguments and all in attendance agreed that the final result was very close. The topic was ‘This House believes automation is a threat to society.’ All six team members on the floor acquitted themselves very well to the task, but Toby (Blackford, 4^th Form) was singled out for praise as a result of his strong opening to the debate where he spoke without notes for 3 minutes. Eventually, Blackford were declared the winners. Congratulations should go to all those pupils who took part in debating over the year." - Duncan Ericson, English Teacher

"I’ve very much enjoyed inter-house debating and all the added praise that comes with it. My first debate was in 3^rd Form and I was clinging to my notes and very nervous, but I have now learnt the necessary tactics for a successful outcome. The key to remember is that it’s not a speech, but instead you’re speaking what your heart says, and to try and feel as if your just wanting to get your point across to someone opposite you. Strategy and timekeeping are both key components to formulating a good debate. However, this proved difficult as Arion had many claims that we needed to tackle. Debating has been a highlight of my year as I was part of the winning of the final and I was included in as many aspects as possible by Luke and Seb. Winning feels great after such a close debate, as the opponents were tough but obviously not tough enough (better luck next time). I hope to continue on this path of success as we strive to win it for a fourth year in a row." - Toby, 4^th Form

“I was very impressed with the high quality of the whole debate. It may have been easier for Arion to propose the motion but both teams debated with intelligence and style. It is a testament to the quality of debating that the adjudicators had to refer to Mr Ericson, the teacher in charge of debating, to help clarify the scoring options. Initially, both teams were tied but, on reflection, Blackford just edged Arion out by 1 point. Debating is certainly  healthy at King’s and the inter-house debating prize is now one of the key school prizes.” - Ian Wilmshurst, Headmaster