This term, Exham and Sixth Form students have been busy participating in local public speaking competitions.
On Monday evening, for the second year in a row, Bloxham students won the Intermediate Cup in the Banbury and Cherwell Rotary Club Youth Speaks competition. Our team of students from Exham, the youngest in the competition, spoke confidently on the complex topic of NHS privatisation in a debate format. Emma B acted as Chair, introducing the other speakers and the topic, and summing up the debate at the end. Joseph L presented some persuasive arguments in favour of privatisation and the introduction of an insurance based system of funding. But he was ably challenged by Layla W who spoke convincingly in favour of the existing publicly funded model, free for all at the point of delivery. The team will now go on to the District Finals at Witney in January.
On Friday 8th November, a team of sixth-form students, James B, Jamie J, Hannah P and Sophie T participated in the Cherwell Democracy Challenge Debating Competition at Cherwell District Council Offices in Bodicote, competing against other local schools. The event was hosted by Victoria Prentis MP, and judged by representatives of local councils, charitable organisations and journalism. Despite not knowing which side of the debate they would be on until a few minutes before they started, the Bloxham students performed confidently, arguing for the motion that social media is a force for good, and against the idea that recent Extinction Rebellion protests are an effective form of political action. The students also participated in a wide-ranging ‘Question Time’ style discussion with the judges.