Debate That

On Monday 6th December, three Cronton Sixth Form A level Law students participated in the final of the Liverpool John Moores University ‘Debate That’, a programme funded by Aimhigher.

‘Debate That’ is a debating competition created by two of Liverpool John Moores Criminal Justice Academics, Stuart Taylor and Ester Ragonese. The event started in October and involved the student completing an initial day to learn the principles of debating and develop their team working skills.

The students Jade Shaw, former Wade Deacon High School pupil, Pearce Darnell, Fairfield High School pupil and Ladema Attram Travis, then conducted six weeks of research on topics such as, the age of criminal responsibility, the death penalty and crime prevention, in preparation for the final day. Each school was allocated one of LJMU’s current undergraduates acting as their mentor, to support their research and help develop their arguments.

The participating colleges/schools were:

Cronton Sixth Form College, Halton
All Saints Centre for Learning, Knowsley
St Edwards College, Liverpool
Holy Family Catholic High School Sefton

The final day was delivered by Stuart Taylor, acting as the debate facilitator. The day involved each team participating in three debates. Each debate was judged by a panel of five judges plus an additional vote made collectively by the spectators. The five judges were made up of Michael Monaghan (Aimhigher Project Assistant), Ester Ragonese and Deirdre Lynskey (Assistant Directors of Aimhigher Greater Merseyside) and the two Mentors

Cronton Sixth Form College and Holy Family Catholic High School had the most votes after their three debates and so competed in the grand finale and all participating students were given trophies or medals to demonstrate their achievement.

Janice Hartnell, Law tutor at Cronton Sixth Form said; “The event was extremely beneficial to the students it allowed them to develop their research skills, crucial for those students seeking progressing on to university.

The students also learnt how to improve both their oral and written communication skills, by having to talk articulately and clearly when delivering their argument against the other competitors..

The debate is widely advertised and is valued as an extra curricular activity by Universities as it shows the students ability to be competitive, motivated and self disciplined in relation to research and debating.”