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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 the debating coordinator role in your school can be challenging.
Some strategies to assist you 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 might be unsure about budgets and program costs.
Budgets can vary significantly depending on the competition and the number of teams you enter.
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, if not the end of year prior to commencement as school budgets are being decided. 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 begin coaching them on the basics of debating. Registration dates for the Premier's Debating Challenge close in early Term 1, so be sure to check these dates via The Arts Unit website and Staff Noticeboard.
It is useful to put together a plan. You can use the planning document across as a template.
For detailed training plans and learning sequences, visit the coaching resources section of this website.
Debating 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. Examples include the Sydney Schools Debating Competition and other regional network formats.
The Premier's Debating Challenge and others similar allow for one hour for preparation only, and students must prepare without the help of their teacher. The Premier's Debating Challenge starts with round-robin debates before progressing to a series of knockout finals, allowing students the chance to debate several times before they are eliminated or progress further into the competition.
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. Schools can enter two teams per stage group in the Premier's Debating Challenge.
Premier's Debating Challenge
Premier's Debating Challenge
The Premier’s Debating Challenge is run by The Arts Unit and is open to students in NSW Public schools.
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
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 for the NSW Representative Cup in a series of debates against representative teams from non-government schools.
Boronia Park PS (Aff) and Macksville PS (Neg) debate the topic, That we should group kids into school classes based on their IQ instead of their age (Duration: 42:48).
Accessibility information: Chapter sections, transcript and closed-captioning are available via the video linked above.
Western NSW (Aff) and Hunter Central Coast (Neg) debate the topic, That years 5 and 6 students should have to volunteer at retirement villages or nursing homes (Duration: 44:13).
Accessibility information: Chapter sections, transcript and closed-captioning are available via the video linked above.
Visit The Arts Unit's website to watch more state final debates.
Local 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: Kay Keeble, Bellevue Hill Public School.
South-West Sydney: Samantha Finnie, Holsworthy Public School.
Northern Sydney: Clare Banham, Wakehurst Public School.
Western Sydney: Alicia Hartfield, Rouse Hill Public School.
Hunter & Central Coast: Nyssa Kelly, Belair Public School.
North Coast: Sharon McCudden, AP Mid North Coast Schools.
New England: Laura Bowman, Nemingha Public School.
Riverina: Fleur Cullenward, Hay Public School.
Illawarra & South East: Cara Robinson, Goulburn South Public School
Western NSW: Katrina Brown, Bathurst West Public School
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