News Godolphin’s Debating Champions 13.02.2020

Thursday 6 February can go down as a historic moment for Godolphin and Latymer debaters, with two teams making it through the gruelling round of Oxford Schools’ Debating to win a place on Finals Day. Upper Sixth students Isabel and Anna are both newer to debating, but impressed the judges with their clear, confident and well-informed arguments.  Linnea and Catherine, both in the Upper Sixth, had to utilise all their experience to beat the competition’s fierce 51-team opposition. Both teams will now head to Finals Day at Oxford Union in mid-March.

There was further cause for celebration as our Lower School debaters won the first round of the English Speaking Union Public Speaking Competition, held at Godolphin on Monday. Dilia spoke with commitment and authority on the importance of finding a cure for malaria, while Rojin chaired and Roxanna was questioner. In addition, Roxanna received the award for Best Questioner.

The team now go on to the London Final at ESU headquarters on 17 March. Julian Bell, Head of English and Debating, said, ‘I feel so proud of our girls, who were articulate, passionate and engaged. It is another triumph for our very successful and popular debating and public speaking programme at Godolphin.’