Boys have enjoyed success in the early rounds of a number of prestigious debating competitions around the country and remain in contention for regional and national prizes.
In the English Speaking Union’s famous Mace debate, QE Sixth-Formers, Calum O’Sullivan and Krishan Shah, have progressed to the regional final. Other competitions entered include the Cambridge, Oxford, and London School of Economics (LSE) schools’ debates, which are all still in the first-round stages.
Year 11 public speakers Nirmal Chohan, Alex Davis and Rohan Sathyanand have progressed to the branch final of the English Speaking Union’s Public Speaking competition. Expectations are high in the light of last year’s success by the QE team, which won the Hertfordshire Champions Shield.
A group of Year 10 debaters recently took part in a debating consortium at Henrietta Barnett School. “Forty-five QE students and 90 from Henrietta Barnett enjoyed an entire day of debating; it was a very enjoyable and enriching experience for them all,” said Nisha Mayer, QE’s teacher in charge of debating. Some of the boys also attended the LSE Schools Debate earlier in the year and some will be participating in the International Competition for Young Debaters.
“We are always happy to see new students who are interested in debating or public speaking,” said Mrs Mayer.