The College has a long tradition of debating and public speaking which stretches back decades. The main competition for boys in the Senior School is in the Catholic Schools Debating Association Competition which runs both public speaking and debating competitions. The College was a founding member of this Association which was founded in the 1960’s. Debaters from St Patrick’s have gone on to be the Chairman of the Oxford Debating Union and while others have been team members in the grand final of a number of World Debating Championships. Every year many of the Old Boys of the College dutifully and freely give their services as adjudicators for the College, together with other parents and friends of St Patrick’s. The debating competition allows the College to enter twelve teams – two in each of Year 7 to Year 12. At present the Metropolitan Competition boasts a membership of seventy or more schools. Over the years the debaters and public speakers have had their fair share success. In 2006, one of the Year 10 teams achieved a milestone not seen before at the College or in the Catholic School Debating Competition. For the third consecutive time this team have won the championship in both the Metropolitan and State Competitions in their Year division. 2006 also saw both a former Captain of our Junior School and the College Captain as Grand Finalists in the Public Speaking Competition.
Debating and public speaking are enriching co-curricular activities which build self-confidence when one is called upon to speak in public and develop the ability to think both laterally and logically. They represent an activity which can have close links and benefits for the academic curriculum. Debating has the added advantage of building the necessary qualities to be a team member, for each speaker plays an important role in the ultimate decision that the adjudicator will make. It is an activity which is both challenging and fun at the same time. Catholic Schools Debating AssociationRules and locality maps click here.
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