
New DfE funded teaching resources: Topical lesson plans to help you discuss controversial issues in the classroom
Funded by the Department for Education and in partnership with the Association for Citizenship Teaching, we launch new debating activities and lesson plans.

Admiration, respect and good spirit: The key themes of an ESU competition
What can we learn from young people? Debating helps students with respect, confidence, critical thinking and communication skills, not just how to argue.

The International Public Speaking Competition grand final
The 2017 International Public Speaking Competition grand final was held on the 12th May, seeing Luke Macaronas from Australia taking out the final.

Celebrating 60 years of the Schools’ Mace
On the 60th anniversary of Schools’ Mace, four Mace winners from various decades, tell us how it has shaped their lives.

How the Schools' Mace made me a feminist
A Schools’ Mace alumna talks about how the motion ‘This House believes in equal pay for women’ opened her eyes to feminist issues.

How debating mental health has helped me with Autism: One participant shares their story
Holly, an ESU participant with Austism talks about how debating and learning to structure and arguments has helped her in social situations.

Hugh Dennis judges at West Sussex Performing Shakespeare regional final
The Performing Shakespeare regional final in Chichester, saw seventeen performances with two winners being chosen to attend the grand final in London.

My life-changing year in the US
Kane McLaughlin from Derry talks about his Secondary School Exchange to the US and the profound effect it had on him.

Bath branch: My marsh winner announced
The competition tasked young people with reviewing their favourite title on the shortlist for this year’s Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation. The winner, Brionie reviewed Bronze and Sunflower, authored by Cao Wenxuan and translated by Helen Wang, published by Walker Books.
Help give more young people the speaking and listening skills and cross-cultural understanding they need to thrive