Debating has a long tradition at the school. Students hone their debating skills in the Big School Library which hosts the William Adams’ Debate Society on Tuesday lunchtimes. The oldest society at Adams, founded in 1909, it has witnessed many a fierce debate on a wide range of motions. The society uses a 70-year-old gavel that is made from an oak beam known to have been in Wolstanton Parish Church, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, in 1752.
Pupils have the opportunity to represent Haberdashers’ Adams in two external competitions: Rotary Youth Speaks and the English Schools Mace. There is also the opportunity to compete for valuable Chaloner points in the annual House Debating competition.
Rotary Youth Speaks
In teams of three, participants present arguments and points of discussion, before taking a question from the audience. Participants can select a topic that is important to them, allowing them to delve deep into research, formulate ideas, and expand their knowledge.
Round 1 is local and sees Haberdashers’ Adams pit their wits against Newport Girls' High School and Burton Borough School in December. This year, the senior team of Maja, Diana and Austin won with their debate on ‘Where the blame lies for damage in Ukraine’. Adams’ intermediate team of Elhadi, Kwame and Ibrahim also won a spot at the regional round.
English Schools Mace
This competition is a debate tournament, with teams of three competing against each other; earning points for expression and delivery, structure of argument, and the strength of rebuttals against the opposition. The teams are given the motion and three weeks to prepare before each round.
An Adams’ Lower Sixth team comprising of Lily, Toby and Illori made it through early rounds against Denstone College and Hagley School to reach the West Midlands semi-finals in March. In the semi-final, Adams had to propose the motion ‘This house would have a compulsory national DNA database' which they contested with rigour but in the end lost out to King Edward’s School, Birmingham.
House Debating
The Corbyn Cup, named after ON Jeremy Corbyn (class of 1967) was competed for in the last two weeks of the spring term. Motions included ‘This house would abolish grammar schools’ – Jeremy would love this one! and ‘This house would privatise the NHS’. The debates were marked on style, substance, questions and teamwork. Darwin House won the overall honours with Sa’adu in second place and Owen in third place. Best Speaker was awarded jointly to Lily S in Talbot and Toby H in Sa’adu. Congratulations.
