The Arts Unit Creative Teachers
Embedded Files
Coordinating or coaching for the first time
Coordinating or coaching for the first time
Not sure where to start?
Not sure where to start?
We understand that taking on a new role (such as becoming a debating coach or facilitating debating in your school) can be challenging.
Some strategies to assist you could include:
connecting with other coaches in your region – you could do this by engaging with other coaches on training days or when you visit schools for a debate
seeking out a mentor – this could be someone from your school or it could be someone who supports you remotely.
On this website, you can:
View the debating in a primary school page to explore the benefits of debating, syllabus links and what competitions are available.
Work your way through the basics of debating page to learn the fundamentals.
Collect resources and discover coaching activities in the coaching debating section.
Explore the rest of the coordinating debating section to learn about selecting a team and hosting a debate.
Budgeting for a debating program
Budgeting for a debating program
If you have not previously run a debating program in your school, you may be unsure about budgets and program costs.
Depending on the competition and the number of teams you enter, budgets can vary significantly.
Planning your debating program
Planning your debating program
Planning your program
Planning your program
It is useful to commence preparations for your debating program at the beginning of the school year. Even though competitions may not commence until the end of Term 1 or even Term 2, it takes a while to select a team and help them learn about the basics of debating. Registration may open well in advance of the competition commencing, so make sure you check registration dates early in the year.
It is useful to put together a plan. You can use this planning document as a template.
For detailed training plans and learning sequences, visit the coaching resources section of this website.
Planning your primary debating program – accessible screen reader version (DOCX 37 KB)
Planning your primary debating program
Planning your primary debating program
Planning your program.docxDebating competitions
Debating competitions
What competitions are available?
What competitions are available?
Depending on your school and region, there may be a number of local competitions for your team to enter.
Some will be very scaffolded and are suited to students who are new to debating. In these competitions, you might be given the topic one or two days prior to the debate and students can prepare with their coach/teacher.
Others (such as the Premier's Debating Challenge) allow one hour for preparation and teams must prepare without a teacher. The Premier's Debating Challenge starts with round robin debates before progressing to a series of finals.
Make sure you select the competition that suits your school and students. Some schools choose to enter more than one competition if they have multiple teams.
Premier's Debating Challenge
Premier's Debating Challenge
The Premier’s Debating Challenge is run by The Arts Unit and is open to government schools throughout NSW.
Click the down arrow for more information.
Teams entering the challenge compete in a round-robin series of debates against nearby schools, with the winners going on to compete at regional and state level to determine the eventual state champion.
Currently, the divisions are:
Years 5 and 6
Years 7 and 8
Years 9 and 10
Year 11 Metropolitan
Years 11 and 12
For the most up-to-date information, make sure you visit the Premier's Debating Challenge website.
Representative debating
Representative debating
The Arts Unit also run a number of programs to provide opportunities for exceptional debaters in NSW.
Click the down arrow for more information.
The Primary Schools State Debating Championships take place over several days and involve teams of students in Years 5 and 6 from each region of NSW.
The Junior State Debating Championships take place over several days and involve teams of students in Years 9 and 10 from each region of NSW.
The Combined High Schools debating team is open to government school students in Years 11 and 12 who compete in a series of debates against representative teams from non-government schools.
2019 Premier's Debating Challenge Years 5&6 Final
Duration: 43:222019 Primary Schools State Championships Final
Duration: 42:07Local debating opportunities
Local debating opportunities
If you are interested in local debating opportunities, you can contact your regional coordinator. Each region differs, but they may offer opportunities such as local competitions, camps, student training days or professional learning.
Select the down arrow to find your regional coordinator.
Sydney: Daniel Judd, Leichhardt Public School.
South-West Sydney: Mel Petrovski, Blairmount Public School.
Northern Sydney: Clare Banham, Wakehurst Public School.
Western Sydney: Paul Marshall, Jasper Road Public School.
Hunter & Central Coast: Nyssa Kelly, Belair Public School.
North Coast: Sharon McCudden, Aldavilla Public School.
New England: Laura Bowman, Nemingha Public School.
Riverina: Megan Hunter, Deniliquin North Public School.
Illawarra & South East: Cara Robinson, Goulburn South Public School
Western NSW: Katrina Brown, Bathurst West Public School
Page updated
Report abuse