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Autumn 2024 Junior and Senior Socratic Club Debating Competition & Certification/Grading - 8th December

Dr George Gross


Our Autumn debating competition of 2024 took place at the National Army Museum.

The marvellous boardroom setting with Duke of Marlborough of Blenheim fame portrait, and overlooking Royal Hospital Chelsea, was matched by the outstanding public speaking on show from both Junior and Senior competitions. We were extremely fortunate to be joined by Yiannis Vassilakis as our judge for the debates. It was a privilege for the group to hear from an expert speaker, director and actor in the creative arts, as well as a former KS at Eton.


Our sessions took in key debating and public speaking skills covered this term (expectations from our speakers) including rebuttal, POIs, and signposting.


We began with some philosophical questions by way of warm up:


·         ‘Describe the internet to an ancient Egyptian’

·         ‘Should we look after old buildings for architectural reasons?’ (on the back of the development decision for the Art Deco M&S Oxford Street store)

·         ‘Is it better to handwrite or to type?’


Our set piece debate took in the motion:

‘This House would tackle climate change first, before dealing with the wars in the world’.

The backdrop of Storm Darragh and the developments in Syria overnight made for a fascinating set of debates.

Our judge was impressed by the confidence of speakers, POIs, excellent teamwork, complex vocabulary, clear signposting, rebuttal and a mix of PATHOS and LOGOS for justification. It was great to see such an impressive array of speeches - both on the proposition and opposition sides, in both Junior and Senior groups. Summaries also impressed with tremendous structure and rhetorical questions too.

Voting remained split throughout the competitions.


Well done all on such superb argumentation! We were delighted that our members performed impressively in the certification process, with merits and distinctions handed out across debating grade thresholds. Well done all!


Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and greatly looking forward to catching up in 2025!


LENT TERM 2025


Socratic Club Lent Term Dates via ZOOM

(Junior group at 11 am & Senior Group at 4 pm):


  • Sunday, 12 January

  • Sunday, 26 January - Socratic Club US Presidential Inauguration and Burns Night Celebration Special (Junior & Senior Group): 11am

  • Sunday, 9 February 

  • Sunday, 23 February

  • Sunday, 2 March

  • Sunday, 23 March


Socratic Club Lent Term Workshops & Events:

  • Saturday, 11 January - Socratic Club Interview Workshop - Junior Group & Senior Group - 11 am

  • Saturday, 15 March - Socratic Club & Nimble Minds Workshop at Churchill War Rooms


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