Debating and Public SpeakingDeveloping important life skills

All Godolphin girls are encouraged to involve themselves in debating and public speaking. It helps them to develop skills in presenting and arguing that will serve them well throughout their lives. 

The House competition involves two tournaments after school for Year 7, with the debates scored to award House points. This helps them find their debating feet without as much pressure. The rest of the school have tournament rounds at lunchtimes, where they will be scored to decide who goes to semis, and then House Finals. These hotly contested and well-researched debates require students to think on their feet. Motions tackle topical issues that ensure the girls engage intelligently with the world around them. 

All year groups have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of competitions outside the school, for which they are prepared in weekly training sessions. Details of the training is on the notice board in the middle corridor, but clubs are divided by year group, with Sixth Form debaters having an after school slot on Thursdays. We enter a variety of competitions including the Debating for Everyone Lower School and Middle School competitions, ESU’s Mace, and the Oxford and Cambridge Unions. The Head of Debating, Deborah Halifax, is an experienced debate coach and judge.  

This year we welcome partnership with Debate Mate and will be opening up various training sessions to our maintained school links. This summer will see our first Mooting Competition for Sixth Form, with training offered in moot procedure.