Debate Club
Due to COVID-19 outbreak timings for extra curricular activities may differ.
Refine your oratory skills in YGBMs debate club! Do you like talking about issues that you see in the news? Do you have a passion to get to the heart of matters? Then debate club is the place for you! Some pupils come to discuss important topics informally with their friends at lunch time, other pupils use it as an opportunity to hone their public speaking and debating skills learning from sixth formers who are very experienced debaters.
We are lucky to have dedicated pupils who have competed to a high level, winning national competitions and who are currently representing Wales. These pupils pass on their knowledge and experience to pupils who are new to debating. There are two club sessions available, one for Key Stage 3 (Year 7-9) and the other for Key Stage 4-5 (Year 10-13).
Here are some tips from Huw for those starting out in debating:
“The opportunity to debate has had an incredible effect on my self confidence. Additionally, public speaking has given me the opportunity to hone my problem solving skills. I was proud to represent Bro Morgannwg and Wales in the ESU, and to be able to represent the school consistently in numerous other competitions." Morgan Bailey, Year 13
Accolades
YGBM currently holds the Welsh title for the Wales Schools’ Debating Championship 2019. The successful debaters were Huw Jones, Sara Jones and Rhys Griffiths. The final was held in Tredegar House and won the final against a team from Cardiff Sixth Form.
Here, Rhys and Sara discuss the importance of debating:
https://twitter.com/WCIA_Wales/status/1206556089665368068?s=20
Both Huw Jones and Sara Jones are members of the Welsh Debating Team and were due to debate in the World Schools Debating Championship held in Mexico City, July 2020. Huw Jones was made the captain of the Welsh team this year. Due to the ongoing pandemic, they will be competing in an online setting against the other national teams.
Congratulations to pupils from our Year 9 team who won the Cardiff and the Vale round in order to compete in the Welsh final of 2020 ESU Churchill Public Speaking Competition. Elena Preest, Bethan Powell and Molly Jordan competed in the Welsh final in Siambr Ty Hywel.
Younger members of the Debate Club have also competed in the Bristol Schools competition in January with many Year 8 and 9 pupils competing against pupils who were much older than them! Here we have some of the Key Stage 3 competitors: Sami, Nanw, Phoebe, Aoife and Grace. They have also taken part in several friendly school debates against Ysgol Gyfun Plasmawr.
