School House crowned champions of Senior House Debating

This week saw School House crowned champions of the Senior House Debating Competition.  

The final against Emma Darwin Hall took place in front of a full audience, and saw the two houses go head to head in an impressive debate. 

School House’s Captain of Debating, Sean L (UVI) tell us more about the competition.  

Starting my journey in debating as far back as third form, I found myself thrust into the deep end, grappling with speeches and rebuttals. Nevertheless, with the guidance of my seniors, I gradually ascended the ranks of the house teams. Witnessing School House emerge victorious in the 2020 debating final served as a significant incentive for me, inspiring a relentless pursuit for the trophy once more. 

I've been incredibly fortunate to have such skilled teammates this year, and I'm deeply grateful for their unwavering dedication to debating. Luke and I have been debating together since our start here at Shrewsbury, whilst Matt and George, both in the 5th form, demonstrated their talent with a remarkable victory in last year's Junior Debating competition. Their prowess is truly commendable.  

The beginning of the 2023 debating season was undeniably challenging for School House. The introduction of Points of Information added a new layer of complexity, and coupled with our lack of practice, my nerves were on edge. Yet, Points of Information weren't the only hurdles we encountered. With Matt and George busy with their GCSEs and Luke and I immersed in our A-Levels, coordinating meetings became a logistical puzzle.  

As we navigated the rough waters of the debating season, we grew closer as a team, supporting each other through the opponents faced. Beating The Grove in the semi-final secured our spot in the final, and we were put up against Emma Darwin Hall, a formidable opponent. In the group stages, we had actually lost to them, which goes to show how much of a daunting adversary they were. On the night of the final, I can personally say that the nerves really got to me. The combined audience of School House and Emma Darwin Hall filled the venue, and hundreds of eyes were on the speakers. 

With EDH taking the floor first, our team immediately started thinking of responses to their points. My speech was next, and I sailed through it smoothly, gaining a chorus of chuckles from the crowd with my quoting of Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off”. Matt and George performed their speeches excellently as usual, delivering them with confidence and pride. However, as EDH’s third speaker started, I started to worry, for her speech was excellent.  

The highlight of the night had to be the captain of EDH’s speech. Nat spoke with reverence, clarity, and humour, capturing the attention of the floor, her speech full to the brim with witty rhetoric and analogies. Nat was awarded “Speaker of the Day”, and rightly so, as her speech was the point where I feared that School House had lost. The Proposition and Opposition exchanged quips and rebuttal like it was tennis, and by the time the results were to be announced, I genuinely had no idea as to which team would win. Both teams were very evenly matched, but our determination, preparation, and skill ultimately led us to victory- with the trophy held high, my task of captaincy was fulfilled, and echoes of cheers from our supporters drowned out my own. 

I am very thankful for what debating has taught me. I often liken it to a strategic game of chess, where anticipating your opponent's moves is key. As the captain of the team, cultivating leadership skills is a given. Debating has significantly fine-tuned my critical thinking abilities and elevated my public speaking, instilling in me newfound levels of confidence. But the most important skill I have refined is teamwork; I could not have done this without my teammates. So, to leave you with the School House motto, “Ubi Concordia, Ibi Victoria”- where there is unity, there is victory.