Milestone has had a long relationship with the Institute of Ideas who have been  pioneering a fresh and engaging format for debate that is injecting new life into schools debating. Working in collaboration with teachers and schools, the Institute of Ideas and Pfizer Debating Matters Competition challenges and encourages young people to actively engage with contemporary debates, to research issues thoroughly, to learn to communicate effectively and to argue for what they think.

Earlier this  year I was asked to sit on the judging panel for the regional finals at Bristol University. It was an amazing experience and encouraging to see such well argued debates on varying hot topics by the next generation of free thinkers. In November the qualifying rounds began and I was asked to judge at the Berkshire qualifying rounds at The Piggott School in Wargrave. St Bartolomews School, The Piggott School, The Holt School and Windsor Girls School fought it out over three grueling rounds. The topics included ‘Pop artists should be judged on their work, not their life style, Closed circuit TV is a threat to our freedom and It is irresponsible foe women over 5o to have babies’.

The role of the judging panel is to sit and listen to the debates before cross examining the teams. It is important the teams have researched their topics and are able to support their arguments. In the end it was The Piggott School who went through, but it was a close thing.