Yesterday, four of our Year 12 students – Kaleb, Usman, Saachi and Sophie – took part in the heats of the prestigious Oxford Schools’ Debating Competition, one of the largest school debating events in the world, organised by the Oxford Union.

The evening presented a challenging format of short-preparation debates, with students given just 15 minutes to preparetheir speeches and no access to the internet. Despite the pressure, all four students represented the school with skill, confidence and poise.

We are delighted to report that Saachi and Sophie performed exceptionally well and have qualified for Finals Day in Oxford. The finals will bring together top-performing teams from regional and international rounds, with debates taking place in the historic Oxford Union chamber.

Congratulations to all participants for their hard work and dedication – a fantastic achievement for our debating programme and our school.