RGS Worcester Debating Finalists at Warwick Pro-Am Competition

Last Saturday, the senior Debaters were in action for the first time this season. They began, just as they had ended last year, with success as Isaac McManus and Charlie White reached the Pro-Am Final.

Warwick Schools 2022 was an online competition this year, with four debates across the day before the best teams entered the knock-out finals. Debating via the platform Discord facilitated an international competition, with the three RGS teams up against UK teams from London, Cardiff and Sevenoaks, as well as international debaters from as far afield as the Philippines and Canada.

Sixty teams took part, with motions on topics as wide-ranging as the reading of fairy tales to children, using religious sites as tourist attractions and the targeting of artwork by environmental activists. It was a challenging day of debates with the overall competition eventually won by Westminster School.

However, Isaac McManus and Charlie White, both only in their second year of Debating and Charlie in his first competition, qualified for the Pro-Am Final. Up against Solihull School, St Paul’s Boys School and Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys School, the students were debating whether we should match MPs’ salaries to the median wage. 

Unfortunately, our pair were beaten by Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys School. However, just reaching the final was already a huge achievement in such a high-quality competition, setting the RGS Debating Society up well for the main competitions next term.