Tiffin Victorious In Debate

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Wandsworth schools prove smart on tough topics

Last night, 3 teams of students from South West London schools convened on Esher College, Thames Ditton, vying for a place in the regional finals of the UK’s toughest debating competition. After an evening of hard-fought debate, Tiffin School were proven victorious, having triumphed over Esher College and Emanuel School. The schools on the day discussed diverse issues such as sex selective abortion and the television licence fee. The competition is sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in the London South region and nationally by primary funder the Wellcome Trust.

Regarded as the toughest debating competition in the UK, debaters had to prove they could answer the tough questions to claim the top prize, as Tiffin School did. A brilliant speech alone will not suffice in the competition which tests students’ knowledge, as well as their public speaking skills.

All students enjoyed making contributions to the debates from the floor as well as speaking on the panels. Madeleine Constance from Esher College particularly impressed the judges with her sharp contributions from the floor and was named Best Individual.


During the debates students were grilled by a group of expert judges and professionals from across Wandsworth and South London. Judges included Charlotte Vere, executive director, Girl’s School Association; Elizabeth Lynch, Sexology Season producer, Wellcome Trust; Greg Lowden, global policy manager, HSBC; Jenny Paton, creative partnerships manager, Wellcome Trust; and, Trevor Morris, professor in public relations, Richmond University.

The teenage wiz-kids debated contemporary political, scientific and cultural controversies in a full evening of debate. Everyone agreed that all students engaged in a friendly yet fiery manner, and all the judges were impressed by the contribution the students made to these key issues.

The winning school, Tiffin, progresses to represent Wandsworth at the London South Regional Final in the spring.

October 23, 2015