Skip to content ↓

Debating Team excels in Cambridge University Schools Debating Tournament

Tonbridge Grammar School's Debating Team has once again demonstrated its exceptional talent, competing against some of the best debating schools in the world in the Finals Day of the Cambridge University Schools Debating Tournament.

The teams, comprising Bella and Saraf from Year 13, and new teams of Nia and Trijagati, and Hasini and Hana, both in Year 11, were given only 15 minutes to prepare for each round.

The competition followed the British Parliamentary Debating Format, which involves four teams. Two teams argue for the motion, while the other two argue against it. Each team is ranked from 1st to 4th after each round. The teams had to qualify from the South East Regional round to earn a place in the prestigious tournament.

In one round, the motion was "This house believes that all international sporting events (e.g. FIFA World Cup, the Olympics) should have a permanent host nation." Despite the challenging topic, Bella and Saraf gave an outstanding performance, earning second place from closing proposition.

Another round saw Hasini and Hana debating the motion "This house supports the rise of individuals seeking and providing advice (about romantic relationships, familial issues, etc.) on social media." The team's persuasive arguments earned them second place.

In the final round, Nia and Trijagati debated the motion "This house would ban for-profit organisations and corporations from funding research within academic institutions." The team rose to the occasion as closing opposition and took first place in their room.

Tonbridge Grammar School was one of the few schools to qualify three teams to finals day, a testament to the school's commitment to developing exceptional debaters. The school's success in the competition highlights the high standard of debate and public speaking skills amongst its students, even when competing against the best debating schools in the world.

The Cambridge University Schools Debating Tournament is a highly prestigious event, and the TGS team should be commended for their outstanding performance. 

'