National Debating Finals...
After winning the District 11 debating competition in Scotland, Holly and Rafe were given the incredibly exciting news that, for the first time, the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) was going to be hosting a national final for the best debaters from each of the 11 Districts in the UK.
This has been a project inspired by Rob Taylor, former Headmaster of Cargilfield, and given much support by those of us in Scotland who have seen the benefits of a commitment to learning how to debate. In today’s world of dubious sources of information, challenging a premise and validating an argument are vital skills, and I know that Mr. Tomlin will be hugely supportive of the idea that Belhaven’s debating should increase in the years ahead.
Our two finalists travelled by train to King’s Cross on Sunday 17 May and then to Merchant Taylor’s Prep School on Monday 18 to meet their opposition. 12 schools were represented, and would all meet in a chamber-style debate. The motion was “The new Government wants to build a country fit for your future. The most important area to invest in is…” and then each school was given a different focus – for Belhaven, it was Health.
The preparation had included support from home and from Mr. Marriott as well as Cameron Wyllie, former Principal of Heriots and experienced debater. On hearing Holly’s prepared speech, his advice had been not to change a thing – and the team duly won through to the final six!
In this next round, the pair debated the benefits of an holistic education over one that focuses on exam results – ideal – and, despite another strong performance, did not make it into the final two. Most importantly, they loved the experience – they were relaxed, positive and represented Belhaven and Scotland with style, panache, wit and intelligence.
...and National Maths Recognition
Earlier this term, Mr. White challenged 39 senior pupils to sit the UKMT Junior Maths Challenge. Approximately 300,000 pupils in Forms 1&2 (Years 7&8) sit this paper annually from all around the world. It is usually the case that c50% of those who enter are awarded a certificate: Bronze, Silver or Gold. Those achieving Gold are in the top 10%.
This year, 23 of the 39 pupils who sat the paper achieved an award – just a shade under 60% and so almost 10% higher than the norm. Of those 23 awards, 14 were Bronze awards, 6 were Silver and there were also 3 Golds for Will R, William F and Finley R.
Forms 3&4 recently sat the UKMT Primary Maths Challenge, with 9 of them achieving over 70% - again, excellent signs for the future! There are plans afoot for a Maths Society, to meet every fortnight and open to all year groups in the Prep School, so that problem-solving continues to enjoy its increasingly prominent profile at Belhaven.
