The Central Regional Final of the Institute of Ideas Debating Matters Competition was held at the University of Leicester on the 4th April and is supported by the UK’s largest organisation for funding research on economic and social issues, the Economic and Social Research Council. Alongside five other schools, the four students from Chilwell School: Robert Allen, Blythe Buttery, Tim McConnell and Kaydee Prince, took part in a buzzy day of discussion, at which teams debated some of the big issues of the moment. Debates on the day included motions on the role of economic incentives in encouraging healthy behaviour, whether fair-trade offers a fair deal for the developing world, and if Wikileaks has had a positive impact on democracy.

Having won both of their debates earlier in the day, the Chilwell debaters found themselves up against Loughborough High School in a tense two hour final. Speaking on the team’s performance before they went away to make their decision, judge James Fry, Senior office partner for Eversheds law firm in Nottingham said:

“you gave polished and convincing performances and dazzled the judges with your big, bold statements – congratulations.”

But the team didn’t only secure a place at the final. Two debaters also won recognition from a team of individual judges, who were looking out for the those individuals who made the strongest contributions to the days discussions. Debater Tim McConnell won the prize for the ‘Best Individual’ of the day with judges describing him as ‘passionate nuanced and an intellectual wrecking ball if needs be’. His friend Robert Allen received an ‘Honourable Mention.’

Teacher Vanessa Thorpe was delighted with the teams’ efforts. Speaking afterwards she said:

”I am just so proud of them and all the hard work they put in doing their research and making sure they understood the issues inside out. I was bowled over by their arguments and their ability to hold their own under close questioning from the judges.”

The Institute of Ideas Debating Matters Competition is renowned for being the ‘toughest debating competition in the country’. Expectations of students who take part in this competition are high; in the words of one Chilwell student ‘we are tested to the max!’ Following a month of thorough research teams are not only expected to be experts in the topics up for debate, but are pushed to defend their case to judges, prestigious individuals, from journalists through to molecular biologists, who ask students questions and challenge them to substantiate their case.

Judges at the Central Regional Final included: Andrew Gowers, editor, Financial Times 2001-2005 and former head of media at BP; James Fry Senior office partner, Eversheds Nottingham; Sandy Walkington, Liberal Democrat Candidate, St Albans and Professor Jo Brewis, Professor of Organization and Consumption, University of Leicester.

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Notes for Editors
(1) The Central Regional Final of the Institute of Ideas Debating Matters Competition was held at the School of Management, University of Leicester. 
(2) This region of the competition is sponsored by Economic and Social Research Council, the UK’s largest organisation for funding research on economic and social issues. The ESRC support independent, high quality research which has an impact on business, the public sector and the third sector. For more information see here
(3) Chilwell School in Nottingham received £500 worth of Hodder Education books. Loughborough High School won £250 worth of Hodder Education books and both receive a year’s online subscription to Encyclopaedia Britannica.
(4) Schools debating in Central Regional Final were: Chenderit School, Middleton Cheney; Chilwell School, Nottingham; Droitwich Spa High School; Loughborough High School; Warwick School; Wath Comprehensive School, Rotherham.
(5) Full details of the programme for the day, including all the debate motions and topic guides, can be found here. For further information about the competition, go to www.debatingmatters.com. Please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 020 7269 9232.

Notes for Photo Editors: Chilwell School team L-R: Kaydee Prince, Blythe Buttery, Tim McConnell, Robert Allen.