Book a Workshop

Discover Your Voice is the ESU's schools debate training programme for key stage 2, 3, 4 and 5.

We work across the UK and overseas to help students gain confidence at speaking in front of people. The programme has been running since 2004 and since then we've worked with over 10,000 young people. 

No previous experience is needed, so whether your students are complete beginners or interested in developing their skills for a competition we can provide a teaching package that will work for you. The aim of all our sessions is that everyone stands up and speaks, either in a debate at the end of a full day or in some of the mini debates and exercises. We have a tried and tested approach which combines games and exercises to make the day fun while teaching a range of skills including:

• clarity of expression
• critical thinking
• listening and response
• handling your nerves

Teaching is delivered by ESU staff and our trained university mentors. To get the most out of the sessions we provide one mentor per 24 students to ensure that everyone will have the chance to actively participate in the day. We are also able to work with small groups, for example a debating club. Along with every booking we provide: 

• Three copies of our handbook for the school, which contains worksheets for the exercises you'll see us use during the day and suggestions on how to use speech and debate more widely in school. 
• Ideas and advice on using debate more widely. 
• Membership of Discover Your Voice: access to the members' area of the website where you'll find a growing library of online resources. 

The English-Speaking Union offers a variety of debate training services to primary and secondary children. Use the menu on the left to find more details on the three major kinds of debating training we provide:

School Mace Two teams with two members each debate a motion, before speeches from the floor. This format - used in the biggest and oldest school competition in the United Kingdom - is accessible to all ages, and is a perfect way to inculcate the fundamentals of debating.

World Schools Two teams with three members each debate a motion. This format - used at the World Schools Debating Championships - is popular around the globe. It allows students to compete to be among the five chosen to represent England at the World Championships, which is held in a different country each year.

British Parliamentary Four teams with two members each debate a motion: a two-team Government "coalition" does battle with a two-team Opposition "coalition", which allows for different factions on each side of a motion to emerge. Whilst this debating format is at first daunting, students enjoy the increased scope, interaction and strategy required to master this format.

Public Speaking Public speaking is either an individual activity with each students working on an independent presentation or a team of three students taking on the roles of Chairperson, Speaker and Questioner. The team format is used in the ESU Schools Public Speaking Competition and the individual format is applicable to this and any other public speaking activities. The training is inclusive, fun and helps to underpin all other speaking activities.

Prices

Special offer

Multiple school discount. For every extra school you include in your pupil workshop or CPD day we'll offer you a discount of 5% off the price of your session, up to a maximum of 25% off.