After two months of remote learning, the Sixth Form debating teams were ready and eager to begin the highly anticipated House Debating Semi-Finals during their first week back in school. The motion, 'This House would abolish examinations', was proposed by the team from Sandys with Beaufort as the Opposition. The Gunning team proposed the second motion, 'This House would choose when it goes to bed', and this motion was opposed by Fisher.
Debating is very much part of the St John's English curriculum and the waiting list to join the termly Senior House Debating Clubs is invariably long. Debating skills are also taught within English lessons as an enriching experience in which all speakers have the chance to develop their critical reasoning skills, whilst also developing their oratory skills and self-confidence. The overall aim is to teach debating in the nurturing classroom environment before the children reach the Lent term in Sixth Form and have the chance to take part in the annual House debating competition, debating in front of their peers and teachers.
In the Semi-Finals, the teams handled rebuttals from their opponents and from the audience and were praised by the adjudicator for getting to grips with the philosophical issues of two broad and accessible motions. The Opposition teams won each debate and will now face each other in the Debating Finals next term.
