Thanks to the boundless enthusiasm and knowledge of debating skills shown by Tom O’Reilly, from the Oxford Debating Union, all those assembled in the JAGS lecture theatre after school yesterday now have a greater understanding of the intricacies of British Parliamentary Debating, and how to use content, style and structure to woo the judges, and the House. We learnt about the difference it makes having 4 rather than 2 teams, extending the debate, as you do in the Oxford Union’s Schools’ Debating Competition.

No doubt all those who came from the Walworth Academy, St Saviour’s and St Olave’s, Kingsdale and the Charter Schools to join JAGS pupils are now hungry for the chance to flex their intellectual muscles and to battle it out in the hugely popular national competition, ready to claim victory as Grand Champions in March. Thanks to Dr Edwards for arranging this opportunity, the first SSLP (Southwark Schools’ Learning Partnership) event at JAGS this year.