The Big Debate
Last Thursday, 25 CFS pupils travelled to Billingshurst Primary Academy for the 'Big Debate’, a celebration of our 'Values and Voices' oracy month. Our Primary pupils were put into groups with pupils from Billingshurst and Woodgate Primary, while our Secondary pupils were given the opportunity to be the designated leaders of each group, giving public speaking tips to their younger peers.
The groups initially enjoyed debating questions such as ‘Does pineapple belong on a pizza?’ to practise their skills, but the day culminated in an important question that linked to one of our key values: ‘Is it better to do one big act of kindness rather than many small ones?' The final debate was fantastic to watch and our pupils really shone in their ability to articulate themselves.
Overall, this was a brilliant event where pupils across Sussex Learning Trust were able to come together to use their voices to speak about key values. Our Secondary pupils loved working with younger children, and our Primary pupils really benefited from the experience. Here’s what some of our pupils had to say about the day:
Grace said, “It was an exciting morning with lots of engaging and interesting activities.”
Amelia commented, “It was such an amazing experience. I had such a fun time with all the primary children and we improved our speaking skills. I also really enjoyed engaging with everyone and meeting new people.”
Chloe noted, “It was great to see the kids becoming friends, despite going to different schools, and showing their passion for debating.”
Freddie remarked, “Overall, it was a great experience, not only for primary children who were developing their oracy skills, but also for secondary pupils as we were able to develop our leadership skills simultaneously.”
We hope to have another event like this next year and involve even more of our pupils!
