Debate Hub

Kate obtained a congratulatory first, a masters and a PhD at Oxford. During her time as a postgrad she was an interviewer for her college. In this episode, Michael picks her brain about Oxbridge interviews, how debating can help and some of the biggest mistakes students make with interviews. 

Kate also runs our 'Oxbridge Hub' which is a partnership programme offering support and practice interviews for students looking to pursue Oxbridge, Medical or Veterinary degrees. If you are interested, contact us via the debatehub.co.uk website. 

In this episode, Michael & Kate discuss 'framing' which can also be thought of as 'context setting'. 

Kate & Michael discuss opening lines. First looking at great opening lines in literature, we then discuss how to have a great opening line for public speaking and how to use opening lines in competitive debating. 

In this episode, Kate & Michael discuss POIs, the short interjections that you are allowed to offer in almost all forms of debating. How to give them, take them, their importance and their applications in real life. 

In this episode, Michael & Kate dive deep on responding to and defeating arguments in competitive debating. 

To attend our debating summer camp for ages 12-16 click here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/south-hampstead-debate-academy-summer-camp-age-12-to-16-tickets-1394411475259?aff=oddtdtcreator 

To attend our debating summer camp for ages 9-11 click here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/manage/events/1394114015549/details 

In this episode, Kate & Michael discuss the importance of 'why important' - more commonly called impacting. We also look at 'why more important' and 'why most important' commonly called weighing. 

In a special episode, Michael sits down with Laura Coryton MBE to discuss how schools can have productive conversations around the themes raised in the smash hit show Adolescence. Laura is the founder and director of the relationships and sex ed social enterprise 'Sex Ed Matters', the author of 'Speak Up!' and a prominent activist and campaigner.

Referenced in this podcast:

Sex Ed Matters | bringing sex education to the 21st century

Laura Bates: Men who hate women
Bell Hooks: All About Love

In the second episode of season 2 Kate & Michael discuss how to properly 'analyse' (explain/justify) points to make compelling and persuasive arguments. We cover chains, chunking, characterisation, analogy, intuition pumps and micro comparisons. 

In this first episode of season 2, Kate & Michael discuss the tips and tricks of coming up with arguments, the most fundamentals and important skill in debating. Season 2 will focus on a different skill each episode. 

In our first episode of 2025, Kate & Michael decided to talk about goal setting! How to set goals as a debaters that actually help you improve, how to know if you are being realistic. What to focus on to improve, and more!