Stratford School Academy students crowned Regional Debate Mate Cup 2023 champions
Whole School
On Monday 27th March, Year 10 students from Stratford School Academy, Forest Gate took part in one of the largest debating competition finals in the UK.
Held at Convene; a world-class conference and events venue in the City of London. Stratford School Academy students battled for the Debate Mate Cup 2023 Regional trophy against Ark John Keats Academy, Grey Coat Hospital School for Girls, Mulberry Academy Shoreditch, The Lammas School and Sixth Form, Heathcote School and Science College and Kingsdale Foundation School.
The motions debated definitely kept students on their toes:
- This house believes that strikes are the most effective way to create change
- This house would ban non-emergency cosmetic surgery
- This house believes everyone should go to university
After hours of debating, it was announced that Stratford Team A came 4th place and Stratford Team B came 1st place, making it to the final round of debating against their opponents, Ark Greenwich Free School students who came 2nd place.
Stratford School Academy Year 10 finalists: Sukaynah, Safa, Sania and Anis, were given just 30 minutes to prepare for their final debate of the day on the topic: This house believes that every successful social movement has a clearly identifiable leader, and were given just 30 minutes to prepare their arguments.
After a passionate and rigorous 40 minutes of debating, it was clear who the Debate Mate Cup Regional Final 2023 winners were going to be. Stratford School Academy’s powerful speeches about social movements and the importance of having a clearly identifiable leader wowed judges and left the audience listening attentively with goose bumps.
Ms Ikar, Head of Citizenship said: ‘The confidence, charisma and bravado students brought to the debate was truly amazing. One thing the judges praised SSA students on was their ability to also link the motion to current issues’.
On their progress, Ms Ikar added: ‘These students have been committed to their personal development and have utilised every opportunity Debate Mate has given to them. It has been wonderful to see the incredible progress and development the students have gone through since being introduced to Debate Mate – all students have a lot to be proud of!’
Stratford School Academy has participated in many rounds of the Debate Mate competition and is one of 49 teams nationally. Of the schools, the SSA team has even placed 4th nationally ahead of the Urban Debate League Final.
In the Summer Term, the Urban Debate League Final will see the top 16 National teams compete in the Urban Debate League Finals to battle it out to be crowned UDL National Champions 2023.
Over the weeks leading up to the Debate Mate Cup, which is completely separate from the Urban Debate League, and a clean slate for students to compete, the students at Stratford School Academy had been participating in Debate Mate clubs each Thursday since September 2022. During the club, students enhanced their leadership, teamwork and critical thinking skills as well as their confidence and public speaking. The club has proved to be incredibly popular within the school.
Year 10 student, Sukaynah Sharif who was part of the Debate Mate cup team, said: ‘For me, debating is freedom. Debating is way for us to express ourselves in a professional setting. Not only is it enjoyable, but it teaches us valuable skills we can apply in the real world’
Year 7 student, Ahmed Koma Sidibe, who is new to the Debate Mate team, said: ‘Debate Mate allows me to express my thoughts and opinions. I was very shy at first, but I gave it a try and now I love it! It has encouraged me to participate in even more extra-curricular opportunities at school’
Mr Hewitt, Headteacher said: “This week we had the fantastic news that we have won the prestigious Debate Mate Cup competition. This is a huge achievement for the students who took part and a credit to the support and guidance they have received from Ms Ikar, Head of Citizenship and the Debate Mate mentors.’
‘Our aim is to invest in our student’s futures and to support them in developing their wider skills and talents, character, sense of belonging and civic duty needed to prepare them for the world and the workplace. The incredible success of our students makes me not only very proud of the educational experience that we offer here at SSA, but also hugely optimistic about our how we can continue to improve our students’ academic and wider development even further’.
