Debating Club
One of the most successful years in the debating society ’ s recent history .
All four of the teams we entered for the Oxford Schools competition qualified for Finals Day . This is an incredibly impressive feat by Luke Ashworth , Marcus Choy , Nilou Davis , Siming Feng , Kieran Kiggell , Ellie Gilbert-Bair , Sian McAllister and Ilyas Shahril Ridza , which prompted one of the judges to congratulate us on being one of the UK ’ s top debating schools . Sadly , the finals were cancelled due to Covid-19 .
We also enjoyed success in the Cambridge Schools competition . Marcus Choy , Luke Ashworth , Ilyas Shahril Ridza and Kieran Kiggell all progressed through , which meant that half of the South-East teams at the national final were from Sevenoaks .
Ellie Gilbert-Bair , Nilou Davis , Luke Ashworth , Marcus Choy and Tasha Dambacher represented Sevenoaks in the English Speaking Union Mace Competition , which attracts teams from over 270 schools . Sevenoaks made it to the regional final , just missing out on the opportunity to compete at the national final .
Our debaters did well in the highly competitive London competitions . Two of the four teams that qualified for the UCL novice final were from Sevenoaks . The students were Lucy Zuo , Ju Yi Tai , Raya Nassar and Aryan Goenka , and Aryan and Raya went on to win – particularly impressive as it was their first debating competition ! Finally , Sofia Melamed and Daniel Naylor qualified for the novice final of the Debate Mate competition , while we were thrilled that Nilou Davis and Siming Feng won the entire competition .
Olivia Power
Imagine that for five minutes , all eyes in the audience are on you .
Some will find your words irritatingly wrong and will seize every opportunity to point that out , others will think that the same argument can be made better , or worse , yet will go on to make a better argument than you . At this moment , you and your partner are at the mercy of the judge whose frown does nothing to instil confidence in you .
Though I have painted a gloomy picture , I have always found debating to be one of the most enjoyable and intellectually rewarding experiences . I joined the Middle School debating club
in Year 10 after taking part in a three-day debating ‘ boot camp ’ during Enrichment Week in Year 9 . In the three years that I have been debating I have certainly gained valuable skills : from having to think of an argument from scratch in 15 minutes , to giving points of information on the spot , debating has enabled me to think quickly on my feet , to speak up with confidence , and formulate a defendable position , even if it is not the side I would personally choose . These skills are in no way exclusive to debating ; they can be applied in everyday context , from greater public speaking in class to making better arguments in essay writing .
Furthermore , through debating at Sevenoaks I have been able to work with like-minded individuals who share the same passion . Going into the debating club every Thursday , I can always count on finding students as eager as I am to find out this week ’ s motion . My debating partner Luke and I thrive on discussing and refining arguments from past debates , but also enjoy exchanging perspectives on current affairs . Moreover , attending debating competitions has allowed me to represent my school and expand my network to debaters from other schools . As it stands , catching up with students from competing schools has become a ritual at debating competitions . Fellow debaters of different ages and backgrounds offer a refreshing perspective , serving as a good reminder to stay humble and keep an open mind . I look forward to reconnecting with my teammates and attending competitions next year .
Marcus Choy , Lower Sixth , Michaelmas debating co-captain
112 TRIPS , CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES