Over the past few years the ESU has helped start major primary schools debating projects in London boroughs like Tower Hamlets, Newham and Hounslow, and now Discover Your Voice provides the same expertise and support across England and Wales.

Key Stage 2 pupils really love the game-based nature of this exciting Speaking & Listening activity, and it also provides a great transition activity to help build up their confidence for the move from Year to 6 to Year 7. Sign up to Discover Your Voice today and get your school involved in the growing primary debate movement.

What's different about what we do

The use of the word ‘debate’ in schools ranges from quite informal discussions to models emulating highly complex organisations like the United Nations.

For everyday classroom use, especially in primary schools, it’s important to strike a balance between simplicity and informality on the one hand and, on the other, having enough rules to result in a fair and balanced set of interrelating speeches which has all the excitement of game-based activities like football or tennis.

The ESU’s role in devising and running programmes like the London Debate Challenge and helping train primary teachers and run primary school competitions in London boroughs has given us years of experience in the application of such formats to classroom and extra-curricular use. Two of our most popular formats are illustrated below.