This course is intended to introduce students to the fundamentals of speech and debate.

This will be achieved by spending equal amounts of time on speech and debate.

The speech component of the course will prepare students for the Trinity College London Speech Communication Arts assessments. 

The skills developed through preparing for these assessments are:

Interpersonal skills – relating to others appropriately with ease, confidence and awareness

Expressive speaking – interpreting a range of texts and communicating them imaginatively in performance

Practical speaking – sharing information imaginatively with an audience

Reflective skills – exploring, recording and reflecting upon the context of practical work in written English

Students will have the option to sit exams at various points throughout the year.

The debate component of the course will develop students’ higher order and critical thinking skills. By preparing and participating in debates, students will learn how to structure and organise their thoughts. They will present balanced and informed arguments, supported by evidence, in an articulate and confident manner.