Before attending the Cambridge Union debating competition some of us took part in a Year 10 debate and as a result both Kat and I were chosen to represent the school. On a personal level I was overjoyed to have been selected, because public speaking and debating is something that I really enjoy and feel rather passionate about. On Sunday the 25th of January Kat and I attended the Cambridge Union debating competition.  We were a combination of both nervous and excited.  This was our first public debating competition and we were the youngest team competing. We were both surprised at the range of abilities and experiences of the teams. Some schools were incredibly competitive; however, there were others that were less so.  They didn’t mind starting conversation outside the walls of the debate room. Due to our lack of experience we didn’t go into the competition with the thought of winning, but rather with the thought of taking the opportunity in our stride. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience and am very grateful to have had the opportunity. Now I’m looking forward to taking part in House Debating and being able to implement the strategies I learnt on Sunday.

By Olivia Snaith, Year 10