News

Public Speaking and Debating Success

It has been a fantastic few weeks for Cathedral School pupils in public speaking and debating competitions, with teams achieving outstanding results across multiple events.

At the BPW Public Speaking Competition, Year 11 pupils Amog M B, Hannah A and Max C-T competed against strong opposition from seven other schools. Amog was awarded Best Chairman for his confident leadership, while Max delivered an engaging speech on the gender health gap. Hannah impressed in her challenging role as Expressor of Thanks and the only one to not use notes. The team's hard work paid off as they secured runner-up position, earning a place in the national final in Newcastle in April.

Meanwhile, Sixth Form pupils demonstrated their debating prowess in the first heat of the Oxford Schools Debate. Competing against over 50 teams, Christopher F and Vihaan J claimed first place, securing a spot in the final, while Katyayani R and Ashika P-S were named first reserve finalists - an incredible achievement given the level of competition.

Success continued at the Rotary Club’s Youth Speaks Competition, where Year 12 students Emily H, Myles C and Joseph P debated the thought-provoking topic Is Intelligence Our Greatest Gift? Their engaging and well-structured arguments led them to victory, securing a place in the next round.

A huge congratulations to all of the pupils who took part in these competitions - their confidence, eloquence and critical thinking skills were commendable. We wish those progressing to the next stages the very best of luck!