The Socratic Club - 14th December 2025

This week saw wonderful final sessions of 2025 with our Junior and Senior Socratic groups.

For skills we focussed on rebuttal and active listening.

Warm-up questions included:

‘What are you most looking forward to with the forthcoming holidays?’  & ‘How would your friends describe you in 3 words?’

Our newsrounds took in football news, the social media ban in Australia for children, and US-Venezuelan tensions.

In the Junior group, we debated the motions/topics:

·       Should debating and public speaking be compulsory parts of the national curriculum? (passed by a majority of 80%)

·       This House believes that the internet was a more important invention than air travel (air travel was chosen by 57% at the second telling)

·       Is it ok for parents to help with homework? (57% in favour of it being ok)

·       Do we still need libraries in the internet age? (80% in favour of libraries)

Voting and discussion in the Senior group followed a similar pattern. In addition, we also debated the motion:

‘This House believes that sport makes the world a better place’.

This was passed 80/20, but with fascinating points on both sides and a topic that generated social, political and cultural questions. We will certainly explore this again in 2026.

Wonderful contributions as always from all and an outstanding way to end another superb year of Socratic sessions. Very well done all! See you in 2026!