On July 1st, Elizabeth and Lewhat from Year 12 represented NHEHS at the GDST Senior Debating Tournament at South Hampstead High School. The team debated amazingly, coming 5th out of 30 teams, winning two out of three debates, coming 3rd in the other one – something only three other teams in the whole tournament managed to do!

The teams were given the topic of ‘career politicians’ who go straight from university into a job such as a parliamentary assistant, advisor, SPAD or working in the party office, before becoming an elected politician. (David Cameron, Nicola Sturgeon.) Other politicians get elected after having a ‘first’ career such as teaching, nursing, finance, and law. (Rishi Sunak, Kier Starmer.)

Round 1: Assuming it was one or the other, THP career politicians. In Opening Opposition, NHEHS discussed issues surrounding tunnel vision and echo chambers which career politicians might face and how the university doesn’t necessarily prepare you for the House of Commons. Alternatively, NHEHS proposed that politicians can effectively serve their country and constituency if they have real-life on-the-ground career experience. NHEHS won the debate.

Round 2: THB ethnicity should be a significant factor in adoption and fostering: In Closing Government, NHEHS argued about the importance of the preservation of culture and its long-term impacts on individual identity in an ever-globalising world where cultures can often get diluted and lose their value. NHEHS came 3rd (out of 4 teams).

Round 3: THBT AI gives us more reason to fear than to hope: In Opening Government, NHEHS made arguments about the dangers of language generating, deep fake voice, and image manipulative AI which can cause uncontrollable and immense misinformation. Moreover, given the uncertain impacts of AI in the future, the urge to develop immediate and stringent regulations was discussed. By effectively dealing with Opposition’s arguments about AI efficiency and productivity, NHEHS won the debate.

Both Lewhat and Elizabeth were delighted with their performances in a very tough competition, as were NHEHS Debating Coaches Miss Gordon and Mr Nouman. Well done!

Miss Gordon and all the Summer Term 2023 debaters would like to thank Mr Nouman for his support and advice. He spent an incredible amount of time producing resources, videos, and guides, but was also such an encouraging presence in his workshops. NHEHS are very thankful for his efforts and wish him well in his future endeavours.