ESU affiliation raises profile of debate at King’s

Following the news that Gwen Olson (5GRO), Mahima Hansoge (L6WAL) and Layla Rodrigues (L6WER) made it through to the next round of the English Speaking Union (ESU) Schools’ Mace, we are delighted to announce that King’s is now an ESU Affiliate School. 

Through its affiliate scheme, the ESU aims to raise the profile of oracy in schools. Dr Rutberg, who leads Debate Club on Tuesday lunchtimes, is excited about the opportunity that this gives students at King’s. 

She said: “Before the pandemic, we had a very robust debate society in school but a combination of remote learning and our members moving on to university means that we have spent the last year building the club up again.

The ESU affiliation, especially combined with our recent success in the Schools’ Mace, will really help with this. The number of students attending debate society has grown recently and it gives us a really good base from which to keep developing.”

In the next round of the Schools’ Mace, Gwen, Mahima and Layla will be opposing the motion: This House would ban gambling. Debate Society was lively with discussion both for and against the motion last week, which will help the team as they devise their arguments for the next round in January. 

There are plans to enter a bigger team into the Cambridge Schools’ Debating Competition in 2022, which will give more students the opportunity to develop their debate skills.