Debating is an important confidence-boosting skill as well as helping pupils in their GCSE oral assessments.

As a school activity this is busiest in the Michaelmas Term. The programme begins with a Debating workshop held for all new Junior pupils where they are coached and skills demonstrated. The Inter-House Debating Competition both at Senior and Junior level follows. The competition is run over much of the term occupying the 6.30 to 7.30 pm slot on Wednesdays. We often have audiences in excess of one hundred for lively Debates. The winners and runners up of both Competitions receive prizes from The Warden at the Saturday Assembly at the end of term. For the more serious debaters, Inter-School Debating exists in the form of the English Speaking Union Competitions at Senior and Junior level, The Courier Junior Competition (we usually enter three teams) and the Oxford Union and Donald Dewar Senior Competitions. We have also taken part in University-run competitions in Dundee, Glasgow and St Andrews. Debating is an ideal activity for budding lawyers; those who represent the school twice at Senior Level are awarded Full Colours. In the Lent Term, Junior Schools compete for our Junior Debating Competition – The Glenalmond Cup. Our pupils have the opportunity to Chair and Time Keep at these events.

Contact: Mr James Forshaw (jamesforshaw@glenalmondcollege.co.uk)

 

Michaelmas Term 2009

FINAL UPDATE FOR MICHAELMAS 2009

With the House Competitions over we saw in the Junior ESU Marcus Buist and Simon Boendermaker going through at Dollar but Edmund Wise and Herries Anderton failing to qualify at Dunfermline with both teams proposing giving the vote to Sixteen Year Olds.

The above teams with the addition of Poppy McKenzie Smith and Christopher Hastings also competed at the St Andrews University Debating Day all taking part in the three debates and Simon and Marcus being our highest placed team at thirteenth out of thirty two. Given that their opponents were often Upper VIth Formers this was a great showing.

In the first round of the Donald Dewar we hosted a heat with Strathallan and Auchterarder visiting and our team of Adam Gordon and Campbell Findlay go through to the next round.

After Christmas we await the start of the ESU Mace on 18 January 2010, the East of Scotland Junior Competitions – (dates to be decided) and continuing with the Donald Dewar and Junior ESU.

DEBATING UPDATE 19.11.09

The Inter-House finals took place on Wednesday 18 November 2009. First up was the Junior Final which saw Simon Boendermaker and Marcus Buist of Patchell's proposing the Motion the "This House Believes That the Money Spent on the 2012 Olympics Could be better Spent Elsewhere" and they formed a good case but it was well opposed by the Home team of Michaela Macphie and Isobel Anderson who could have made a few more points of information but generally suggested hosting the Games could be of lasting benefit. It gave the judge, Mr Peter Lovegrove of Morrison's some adding up of scores but he declared the defending Junior Champions Patchell's the winners again.

In the Senior Competition last year's defeated finalists, Matheson's, represented by Adam Gordon and Campbell Findlay answered the Motion proposed by Skrine's "The House would withdraw Britain's troops from Afghanistan". This proved an enthralling debate – well worthy of the final from the moment Sandy McCleery proposed and was answered by Adam Gordon; then Chris Hastings rebutted and extended the proposition's case until finally the summation by Campbell Findlay. Mr Lovegrove in his adjudication congratulated all participants but gave the victory to Matheson's.

Hopefully the Warden will present the trophies and prizes at the next College Assembly. We again thank Mr Lovegrove.

A busy period comes up in external debating. Our Junior team of Simon Boendermaker and Marcus Buist go to Dollar on Monday 23 November 2009 for the ESU. We have three teams going to St Andrews Debating Day on Wednesday 25 November and on 26 November we host an opening round of the Donald Dewar Debate for Seniors on the Motion "This House believes that Britain would be better off out of the European Union".

In the ESU Mace we are opposing "This House would end short term prison sentences" at Morrison's – date to be decided.

On Monday 30 November Edward Wise and Herries Anderton will debate in the Junior ESU at Dunfermline High School again on the Motion of Voting at sixteen.

James Forshaw, 23 November 2009, Master i/c Debating

Junior Semi-finals

Both Junior Semi-finals contesting the same Motion "This House deplores the true cost of cheap drink" were of a good standard with all participants engaging in the debates and as the co-adjudicator Mr Wright said the decisions could have easily been reversed if some basics had been adhered to. Timing is still important and however good your speech is, if the best of it comes after the final bell you must be penalised. Similarly reading a speech at this level is not going to impress and sometimes teams were a little imbalanced and did not demonstrate good team work.

Having said this Charlie Braithwaite spoke well for Goodacre's though he could have been a little freer from his notes and perhaps we had too much information. Angus McCance impressed once more as second Speaker but Simon Boendermaker was impressive as he engaged the audience for Patchell's and caught our imagination with a £150 bottle of Chardonnay and though they lacked team-work Simon's partnering with Marcus Buist opting for convincing passion the judges were left no option but to put Patchell's through to the final.

Next up was Reid's against Home and in all honesty Matthew Oliver gave the speech of the night to open the Debate but he did have timing issues. Rob Russell did a fair job but must try for more drama in his delivery and be prepared to engage in points of information. Home in the shape of Michaela Macphie suffered a similar problem too in being a little tied to her notes but Isobel Houston rescued the day in under four minutes with her well structured conviction that drink was a cure-all rather than a curse so it is now a Patchell's v Home Junior Final.

Congratulations to our finalists for both Senior and Junior Debating.

The Junior motion will be "This House believes that the money spent on the 2012 Olympics could be better spent elsewhere". It will be Proposed by Patchell's and Opposed by Home.

The Senior Debate final is proposed by Skrine's v Matheson's on "The House would withdraw Britain's Troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2009". Finals on Wednesday 18 November 2009.

James Forshaw 6th November 2009 
Master i/c Debating

Senior Interhouse Debating Update

The Senior Inter-House Competition commenced on Wednesday 16th September with Four houses debating the motion

"This house would allow drugs in sport"

Mr Davies (Head of Physical Education) adjudicated, as Home represented by Emily Hunter and Mhairi Laughland proposed the motion while Adam Gordon and Campbell Findlay of Matheson's opposed. It was a sensible debate chaired by Edmund Wise with Chris Hastings as time keeper but there was some good injection (no pun intended) of humour by Matheson's. Both sides were well organised but the experience of Adam and Campbell carried the day thus avoiding last year's defeat by Home in the final.

In the second debate, Reid's in the shape of John Sampson and Marcus Wilson proposed while Karina Stoltz and Rosanna McCallum of Lothian opposed. This was another good debate with the two first-timers John and Rosanna acquitting themselves well while Marcus and Karina gave something of a master class on debating skills. At the post the girls of Lothian edged it and go through to the semi-finals. Attendance over the two debates topped some 110 pupils and our thanks go to Mr Davies and also Marcus Buist who chaired the second debate.

Next week Skrines vs. Patchells!

 

The first meeting of Glenalmond's debating year began with a workshop introduction to debating for all new Junior Entry and Third Form. This was very well attended with many other pupils attending swelling numbers to 80 plus.

After introductory remarks from Mr Forshaw and a brief resume of the term's programme the main business was a specimen debate on whether the UK should re-introduce the death penalty.

The debate was chaired by Edmund Wise and timed by Cameron Howie with the motion proposed by Simon Boendermaker and Marcus Buist and opposed by Adam Gordon and Marcus Wilson.

With only four minute speeches action was lively and all the old hands showed their familiar traits.

Simon impressive, Adam fact-filled, Marcus B hugely entertaining (I'm right, you're wrong) and Marcus W a level head summarising effectively.

There was time for a brief floor debate in which several juniors contributed ideas and then on the popular vote the motion was carried.

The meeting was a splendid lead-in to the serious inter-house competition starting next week.

Adam Gordon has been appointed as College Captain of Debating.