North South divide in Bromsgrove schools debating final

Buy photos » Rebecca Vale and Edward Laboda from South Bromsgrove High with MP Sajid Javid and winners Charlotte Smith and Greg Knowles from North Bromsgrove. Picture by Tristan Harris.

THE TEAM from North Bromsgrove High School emerged triumphant in this year's annual district debating competition.

Charlotte Smith and Greg Knowles narrowly beat Rebecca Vale and Edward Laboda from South Bromsgrove High in a toughly contested final.

The teams were discussing the issue of whether car insurers should be able to discriminate based on gender - with South speaking in favour of the motion and North against.

There was some fantastic debating going on throughout the evening which was held in the lecture theatre of Bromsgrove School.

In the semi-final, North edged out NEW College, when the subject was extremist religious political groups and their rights to preach in universities.

In the other semi-final, South saw off Haybridge pair Laura Wilkinson and Edward Spooner, debating 'Premiership footballers deserve all the rewards they get'.

A five-person judging panel, which had some tough decisions to make, featured MP Sajid Javid, organiser and former Bromsgrove School student Alex Avern, Bromsgrove School headteacher Chris Edwards, Dean Atwell from Oakland International and Standard editor Tristan Harris.

Winning team Charlotte and Greg said they were both ecstatic with the result.

"We were very nervous about the whole thing and are thrilled it has turned out the way it has," added Charlotte.

Mr Javid said: "It went really well and was a really tight final.

"It was good to see a bit of friendly rivalry between North and South Bromsgrove.

"The winners came through in the end and deserved it because of a very strong finish."

As well as winning the Bromsgrove schools debating trophy, Charlotte and Greg have been invited down to London to watch a Prime Minister's Questions session and have lunch with Mr Javid.