Debating at Westlake

We have 14 teams entered in the ‘Auckland Schools Debating’ competition grades, with about 75 boys debating against schools all over Auckland on a regular basis.

The debating season runs from February to August each year.

In the last few years we have been very successful in the Premier competitions.

The Junior Premier team has won the Auckland competition twice in the last 3 years and the Advanced Premiers won the competition in 2007 and lost in the final in 2008.

We have the following teams entered in the grades below:

2 Advanced Premier

2 Junior Premier

2 Advanced Open

4 Senior Open (we host this competition)

4 Junior Open

Staff involved:

Brad Coetzee (TIC of Debating – and Junior Premier, Senior Open)

Alex Reed (Advanced Premiers)

Graham Smith (Junior Open)

Chloe Harland (Senior Open)

Charlotte Nolan (Advanced Open)

Raymond Yeo (Junior Open)

Helen Booth (Senior Open)

Alison Palmer (Senior Open)

Emma Porteous (Senior Open)

Sven Zimmermann (Junior Open)

Each debating coach organises practice schedules as suits team and staff members. They practise at least once a week, as well as debate every alternate week in the evenings at schools around Auckland.

Advanced Premier teams:

This year there are 2 Premier Advanced teams made of 4/5 sixth and seventh formers each. Each team debates once every two weeks at Auckland Grammar School on a Wednesday evening.

These debates last an hour and a half and start at 6pm and 8.30pm.

Alex Reed is responsible for both of these teams. Each week he meets with both teams separately either before school or at lunchtime to practise.

This league runs February to August, and after the initial rounds, quarter and semi finals will be held on Saturdays. These teams are also involved with debates against WGHS throughout the year.

They debate during Culture Week and for Amnesty International throughout the year.

In Term 4 the 7th form team will go up against the girls’ school in the annual Thorburn debate.

Junior Premier teams:

We have 2 Premier Junior teams consisting of 4th and 5th formers. Each team debates every second Wednesday night at St Peters College in the city.

Debates last about an hour and a half. Brad Coetzee is responsible for both teams.

Advanced Open:

This is a competition for 7th formers only. We have 2 teams in this competition. They debate at MAGS and St Cuthbert's every second Tuesday evening from 6pm to 9pm.

Senior Open:

This grade is mostly 5th and 6th formers. We have 4 teams in this competition and we host this grade in T Block every second Tuesday evening from 4pm to 8.30pm.

Junior Open: