As the organisers of the ESU Schools Mace, the national debating championship and the founders of the phenomenally successful London Debate Challenge, the ESU is the UK's leading provider of debate training to secondary schools.

Our expertise covers all Key Stages and subject areas, and Discover Your Voice will help you develop both debate within the classroom and as an extra-curricular activity.

Secondary curriculum links

Debates and other similar public speaking activities are an ideal way to explore themes in almost all subjects. Here are some examples of specific curriculum links and motions which you can use within the classroom:

English

Pupils should "speak fluently ... in different contexts", "listen, understand and respond critically to others" and "participate effectively as members of different groups".
National Curriculum for English, KS3&4 (En1)

Our CPD programme and handbook detail how you can meet all but one of the non-dramatic National Strategy Literacy Strand Speaking & Listening targets through our simple debate models.

Sample motions range from standard discursive debate topics ("This House would legalise euthanasia", "This House would abolish the Royal Family") to topics that deal directly with other areas of the English curriculum or the nature of the subject itself:

• "This House would rather watch TV than read a book"
• "This House believes that Friar Laurence was responsible for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet"
• Motions dealing with a theme from a set text: e.g. "This House believes that hard labour is the ideal solution for today's young criminals" (based on Holes)

Citizenship

"Pupils should be taught to ... take part in formal debates."
National Curriculum for Citizenship, KS4 (Ci2c)

Our CPD programme and handbook detail how you can use different forms of debate and discussion to explore the nature of dialogue in a democracy. A wide range of motions can be set on Citizenship issues, including:

• "This House believes the media has no right to publish stories about celebrities' private lives"
• "This House feels European"
• "This House would introduce proportional representation for all elections"

Science

A scientifically literate person should "take part confidently in discussions with others about issues involving science".
Rationale for the new 21st Century Science curriculum

Our CPD programme and handbook show how the reasoned argument inherent in a good debate is the ideal complement to the logical thought processes in Science. Great motions include:

• "This House would ban genetic engineering"
• "This House would spend more money on space exploration"
• "This House would build more nuclear power stations"

History

Pupils should ... communicate their knowledge and understanding, using a range of techniques, including spoken language."
National Curriculum for History, KS3 (Hi5c)

Our CPD programme and handbook detail how you can use debate to incorporate rigorous analysis of sources and exciting role-playing activities. You could use motions like:

• "This House would stop appeasing Germany" (set in parliament c. 1937)
• "This House would rather live in Roman Londinium than Victorian London" (as a complement to, say, the Medicine through Time paper)

Other subjects

We show you how you can use debate in Geography, ICT, Music, Art and Design or MfL. Contact mail@discoveryourvoice.co.uk for more details.