DEBATING teams from RGS Worcester have enjoyed success with two year 11 pupils winning a prestigious competition.

Felix Haynes and Amber Warner-Warr debated against mostly sixth formers to be crowned the winners of the Cardiff University Schools competition.

The pair from the RGS Worcester debating society were first shortlisted to the best four teams for the Open Final where they were up against another RGS team of Ruby Potts and Ellie Carey as well as teams from Cardiff VI Form College and Howell’s School.

The pupils argued the motion: ‘This house believes that all US states should implement policies that forcibly redistribute some randomly selected school children in order to combat racial segregation.’

The competition took place on Saturday, March 4.

RGS Senior debaters also enjoyed success in the Novice Final with Heloise Messervy-Whiting and Holly Chance qualifying for their second final in a month – and winning the debate by beating RGS Worcester’s Nadiath Choudhury and Jane Thurgood as well as two teams from Cardiff.

Another year 11 team of Alex Edwards, Tom Berry and Josh Warner missed out on a place in the National Final of the English Speaking Union (ESU) Public Speaking, while Tom Peake and Lydia Edwards didn't quite make the final of ESU Mace competition.

Tom Peake and Hannah Keene have beaten around 50 other teams in the Midlands region to reach the Oxford Finals Day at the Oxford Union, at Oxford University, this Saturday.