New College Pontefract’s debating society held its annual debating competition this week with a lively event during which four teams competed to claim the winner’s trophy.
The event involved teams presenting opening and closing speeches in favour or against a proposal, whilst also taking questions from the audience of staff and students. The topics covered included the UK’s relationship with the EU, the meaning of Christmas, whether religion was a force for good, and whether medical marijuana should be legalised in the UK.
“The students brought passion, enthusiasm and a forensic analysis of the arguments,” said David Brighton, the event organiser. “The judges were deeply impressed by the perspicacity and eloquence on display, skills which are as applicable to the world of work as they are to academic discipline.”
Students will have another opportunity to compete later in the year when they take on their peers from New College Bradford and New College Doncaster, the other sixth form colleges in the New Collaborative Learning Trust.
Event organiser David Brighton ponders during the debate
