Team Prizes
The competition’s prize sponsor, Hodder Education, offer schools nearly £10,000 of books as prizes for the Regional Final runners-up and winners, and for the National Final runners-up and winners, with each school getting to choose which titles they would like to help fill their libraries. Prizes have also been donated by Encyclopaedia Britannica, Foyles and Total Politics magazine, to name a few.

Best Individuals
The judges also present certificate awards or commendations to individuals at each stage of the competition, These awards are made to students they regard as having made the best contributions throughout an event. There are three awards – Best Individual, Highly Commended and Commended, as well as Commendations. All students attending the different stages of the competition are eligible for these awards, including those who are not part of a competing team and those who are below sixth form age. This set of awards recognises that the point of Debating Matters is not just the winning of a particular debate by a team, but the very process of debate itself. Please note that at the Qualifying Rounds only one award of ‘Best Individual’ is made; winners certificates are sent by post, and are not awarded on the night.

The Gina Owens Memorial Prize
Each year at the Debating Matters National Final a special award, the Gina Owens Memorial Prize, is made for the sharpest, wittiest argument from the individual who shows the clearest grasp of his/her arguments and expresses them with passion, warmth and humour,

FURTHER HELP

If you would like to support Debating Matters by offering prizes for the competition, please contact Tony Gilland. To see a list of the current prize sponsors see our Sponsors page.