Debate Hub

In this episode Kate & Michael talk about oracy education as it stands in the UK in 2026, as well as discussing how it affects our political understanding. In the second part we move on to talk about the confluence of social media, politics and oracy, and how good oracy education supports great journalism. 

To celebrate the release of the oracy white paper, Kate & Michael discuss how Debate Hub's way of doing oracy endeavors to be inclusive for SEND students. 

In this episode Kate & Michael discuss two recent Debate Hub events: a large Oxford Union style show debate and our inaugural mooting competition. We discuss what worked, what we would change and how partner schools can replicate these events if they are interested in doing so.  You can find details of our upcoming competitions at https://debatehub.co.uk/all-events/ 

To celebrate our upcoming AI in Education show debate (link below) Kate and Michael sit down for a bumper episode to discuss AI in debating, speech writing and education more generally. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1976881650232?aff=oddtdtcreator

In this episode, Kate and Michael reflect the last year in debating and look at some things we hope improve, some things we appreciate and our favourite motion set of 2025. 

In this pod, Michael sits down with Amanda Moorghan,  Director of Learning, Impact and Influence at Voice 21. Former colleagues who debated against each other many many years ago, Amanda and Michael discuss oracy research, the important of turn times, and whether debating deserves it's importance in the wider oracy conversation.  Discussed in pod: https://oracycambridge.org/group-work-never-s...

In this episode Kate & Michael discuss MUN and the perceived hatred between debating and MUN.  If you want to take part in our competitions details can be found here:  All Events - Debatehub

Schools often talk about empowering student voice, but do we really want to hear what they have to say? Kate and Michael discuss. 

Every year, several of our sixth formers run clubs and teach lessons in local state primaries. In this episode Michael talks with two of his students who were teaching debating last year, what they learned, what they loved and what were the challenges. 

Inspired by Dave Ramsey, Kate and Michael discuss the seven steps to making your school a thriving hub of oracy. 

Kate obtained a congratulatory first, a masters and a PhD at Oxford. During her time as a postgrad she was an interviewer for her college. In this episode, Michael picks her brain about Oxbridge interviews, how debating can help and some of the biggest mistakes students make with interviews.  Kate also runs our 'Oxbridge Hub' which is a partnership programme offering support and practice...

In this episode, Michael & Kate discuss 'framing' which can also be thought of as 'context setting'. 

Kate & Michael discuss opening lines. First looking at great opening lines in literature, we then discuss how to have a great opening line for public speaking and how to use opening lines in competitive debating. 

In this episode, Kate & Michael discuss POIs, the short interjections that you are allowed to offer in almost all forms of debating. How to give them, take them, their importance and their applications in real life. 

In this episode, Michael & Kate dive deep on responding to and defeating arguments in competitive debating.  To attend our debating summer camp for ages 12-16 click here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/south-hampstead-debate-academy-summer-camp-age-12-to-16-tickets-1394411475259?aff=oddtdtcreator  To attend our debating summer camp for ages 9-11 click here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/manage/...

In this episode, Kate & Michael discuss the importance of 'why important' - more commonly called impacting. We also look at 'why more important' and 'why most important' commonly called weighing. 

In a special episode, Michael sits down with Laura Coryton MBE to discuss how schools can have productive conversations around the themes raised in the smash hit show Adolescence. Laura is the founder and director of the relationships and sex ed social enterprise 'Sex Ed Matters', the author of 'Speak Up!' and a prominent activist and campaigner. Referenced in this podcast: Sex...

In the second episode of season 2 Kate & Michael discuss how to properly 'analyse' (explain/justify) points to make compelling and persuasive arguments. We cover chains, chunking, characterisation, analogy, intuition pumps and micro comparisons. 

In this first episode of season 2, Kate & Michael discuss the tips and tricks of coming up with arguments, the most fundamentals and important skill in debating. Season 2 will focus on a different skill each episode. 

In our first episode of 2025, Kate & Michael decided to talk about goal setting! How to set goals as a debaters that actually help you improve, how to know if you are being realistic. What to focus on to improve, and more! 

In part two of our recap of 2024, Kate & Michael discuss some of our favourite motions we have seen and set, what we like about them and what they can tell us about what makes a good motion. 

In this episode Kate & Michael discuss a year in debating. We cover some of the things we have learned over the past 12 months and some of the highlights of 2024. Mentioned in this episode are several resources including our Games Packs and cases for our Ethics Championship which are titled 'A little bit of Ethics'. All these resources can be found at www. DebateHub.co.uk. 

This is a reissue of an earlier episode featuring two of our very successful sixth form debaters discussing how to succeed with a variety of partners, how important long term debate partnerships are and how to adapt to partners. 

In this episode- originally an unplanned 'emergency pod' Kate & Michael discuss all the new competitions cropping up on the circuit, the move to more schools running their own competitions and what makes a competition successful. 

In this episode Michael chats to Craig McDonald, one of the most experienced debate judges on the planet about all things judging.