Debating

Review of the 2024 Debating Season

Inter-school debating at Sandringham College concluded in the middle of September this year with: less success than last year; a smaller number of teams; but greater amounts of skill and experience. Sandringham was represented by our Year 10 (“C Grade” in the language of the Debating Association of Victoria’s Schools Competition) Team who completed the five rounds of the Brighton Region (hosted by the Junior School of Brighton GS) undefeated across Terms 1 and 2. The highlight of that period was that Rounds 3 to 5 were all held on Wednesday evenings in the month of May, and that two of those three debates were for secret and advised topics - provided an hour beforehand in each case, and each a new format for our Team.

Amelie, Fred, Xander, and Zara made up the panel from whom the teams of three were drawn. Special mention is here made of Xander who took up this activity in Year 10 this year; and of Amelie and Zara who both represented the School in all of its debates this year. (Well done.) Having made the statewide semi-finals last year, Sandringham was spared needing to take part in any play-offs and was moved straight to the Victorian Octo-Finals in Term 3. Here, unfortunately and closely, Sandringham lost to Camberwell GS although we could take some consolation from Camberwell progressing all of the way to the Victorian Year 10 Grand Final after beating us.

The Topic of that unsuccessful Octo-Final was whether people should spend more time and money on exploring the deep sea or outer space? The other five debates for this year ranged over how much encouragement financial or otherwise should be given to: alternative therapies, moving to regional Victoria, and electric vehicles? Whether screentime limits are a practicable way to improve the lives of young people? And, whether or not charging people for all public outdoor recreational areas is a good idea or not? I was impressed at how well years of debating has developed the C Grade Debate Squad’s skills at analysing the issues put before them and then presenting the most important or interesting elements in an engaging way. The Squad is not only the members who debate for Sandringham; but also those who take part in all of our workshops and wargames of debate topics: Ben, Jimmy, Kieran, Owynn, Sienna, and anyone else whom I have neglected to mention.

Debating has now been done successfully and at a high standard at Sandringham College for years, but for this to continue, more students are needed in all year-levels. Students can join the debate squad even if they feel that an inter-school debate in a classroom at Brighton GS is too ‘high stakes’ for them at the moment. An inter-school debate competition is also run online (via Zoom) in the afternoons. For younger students (Years 7 and 8) there is an inter-school competition where the emphasis is one developing skills and not on winning – there are no finals – although students who like competition can be moved into the Year 9 level competition. Several times a year, a school in the Bayside region will hold a workshop after-school and into the evening for students in the area who wish to develop debate skills. Sandringham has even sent students to multi-day workshops during the school holidays. Even if you are a student who just wants to work through topics to develop skills for policy analysis and verbal communication or take part in the Squad’s notorious confectionary consumption then you are welcome to participate in the workshops next year. If any of these categories sound like you, or somebody you know, then contact me please. (This activity needs teams of three for competition.)

Finally, I think that everyone in the Squad would want to add that we were all impressed by the host school of the Octo-Finals this year. Xavier College in Kew has an underground carpark which is beneath their cricket oval and from which a lift then takes you into the Kostka Building where their Years 7 and 8 learn. Attending debate finals over the last two years has taught me that even in the most new and MCU-ish of buildings, classrooms still tend to look the same. (See below for Xavier.)