The winners are …

Congratulations to all our Year 7 students who have embraced their first debating competition with great enthusiasm.

Our first-ever Year 7 debate was launched with an assembly featuring a step-by-step breakdown of a debate showcased by Year 10 members of the senior debate club.

The younger students were then invited to attend the lunchtime junior debate club where heats were held, culminating in a mentoring session for the two teams which won their way into the grand final.

All of the year group gathered for the final which saw the teams debate the pros and cons of scientific testing on animals.

Former BVC debating champion Iain Lynn took a break from his sixth form exams to judge the competition and said: “The standard was amazingly high! There’s no way I would have been able to speak out like that in Year 7.

“It was really great to see everyone so passionate about public speaking and I look forward to seeing some of these young debaters in national competitions in the future.”

Winning team: Anna, Gabby & Amelia.

Runners up: Michael, Alex & Henry.

Top individual speakers during the heats: Michael, Cara, Eli, Sam and Josh.