Debating Culture Award for BVC

Our student voice is loud and strong here at BVC – and now we have an award to prove it!

We were awarded a Commendation as runner-up in the English Speaking Union’s Debating Culture Award  – a prize that recognises the efforts and initiatives that schools put forward to cultivate a long-term debating culture within their school community.

We were praised for introducing debating and public speaking into the school both as part of the curriculum and as student-led clubs. In just two years we have established a strong debating culture at BVC and now have two thriving clubs run by the students themselves. Our teams have done extraordinarily well in competitions, reaching the final of the Pixl Up For Debate final at Eton and regularly winning through to the regional finals of ESU-run competitions.

Year 11 student Iain Lynn has become an ESU ambassador and will speak on the importance of oracy in schools in parliament later this month.

BVC Principal Duncan Cooper said: “I am so proud of our students receiving this award from the ESU – this is an amazing achievement. It’s fantastic to see our students in action debating against each other. Students as young as Year 7 are gaining confidence from learning these skills which will be useful throughout their lives.”