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Non-ESU competitions

ICYD

The International Competition for Young Debaters (ICYD) is run by a group of Universities from England, Scotland and Ireland. The competition is for teams of two from Year 10 and below. Preliminary rounds are held throughout the country before culminating in a finals day for about 60 teams hosted by one of England’s leading Universities. There are also workshop days organised regionally to help teams become more familiar with debating. ICYD is run in British Parliamentary style. For more information on that style, and details of how to enter the competition, visit www.BritishDebate.com.

Oxford Schools

The Oxford Union Debating Society runs an annual debating competition for sixth formers or below. The competition is for teams of two, and schools can enter more than one team. Regional rounds are held around the country and then teams from each region progress to a finals day for around 80 schools, held in Oxford. Workshop days are also held to help pupils become more familiar with debating. Oxford Schools is also run in British Parliamentary style. For more information visit www.BritishDebate.com.

Cambridge Schools

The Cambridge Union Debating Society holds an annual competition for sixth formers or below. The competition is for teams of two, and schools can enter more than one team. Knock-out first and second rounds are held around the country and then a finals day for around 20 schools is held in Cambridge. Cambridge Schools is also run in British Parliamentary Style. For more information visit www.BritishDebate.com.

Durham Schools

The Durham Schools competition is organised by the Durham Union and is held over a residential weekend in Durham (normally in March). It is a competition for teams of two, from the sixth-form or below, and schools may enter more than one team. It is held in British Parliamentary Style. For more information visit www.BritishDebate.com.

Other competitions

Many of the competitions described above have been running for a long time. There are also a number of newer competitions, including ones organised by universities, such as Bristol, as well as by other organisations including the Institute of Ideas (“Debating Matters”) and Debate Chamber (who run both pair and individual competitions). There are also a number of debating competitions organised by individual schools for those local to them.

There are a number of other public speaking competitions, including Rotary Youth Speaks organised by Rotary International. For a full list of the ever changing opportunities for competitive debate in Britain, visit www.BritishDebate.com.