Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School declared England Champions

The 50th England Final of the ESU Schools Mace, the national debating championship, was held on Friday 23 March at Dartmouth House. The six schools that won their regional round of the competition took part in the final, debating against each other on three motions. The standard of all three debates was extremely high, making the judges decision a tough one. The judging panel comprised Jack Anderson, World University Debating Champion 2003, Daragh Grant, World University finalist 2005 and 2006, Rose Grogan, Convenor of the Oxford Union Schools' Competition 2007, Krishna Omkar, Treasurer-Elect of the Oxford Union Society and Tim Savin, debating coach at the Latymer School. Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School were eventually declared 2007 England Champions. Their team of James Fox and Jamie Susskind will now go on to compete in the International Schools Mace Final in the chamber of the House of Lords on Saturday 12 May against schools from Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
For more information on the International Final contact vivienne_thomson@esu.org.

posted by Vivienne @ 12:56 PM | 0 comments  

Dartmouth House Debating Society - Economics Debate

The success of state education was up for discussion at the Dartmouth House Debating Society's Economics Debate, which was run in association with the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), on Wednesday 7 March, when the motion was "This House believes that state education has failed."
In proposition were James Bartholomew, journalist and author of The Welfare State We're In and James Tooley PHD, Professor of Education Policy at the University of Newcastle. George Wiskin, a former member of the NUT National Executive and ESU Education Committee Member, and John Troake, Headmaster of Hailing Manor High School in Croydon opposed the motion.
After a lively and hard fought debate, and some excellent speeches from the floor, the motion was carried by 48 votes to 12 with 10 abstentions.
The ESU would like to extend its thanks to the IEA, each of the speakers, and to Professor Philip Booth, the IEA's Editorial and Programme Director, for chairing the debate.

posted by Vivienne @ 11:12 AM | 0 comments