Debate Hub
This podcast discusses all things related to schools debating: setting up debate clubs, coaching, competitions, formats and more. Hosted by Michael Hepburn, a former competitive debater with 15 years coaching experience who is currently director of Debate Hub.
Episodes
41 episodes
Adolescence- How to discuss in schools with Laura Coryton
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 e...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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59:17
Analysis
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 compari...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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52:33
Coming Up With Points
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.
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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1:00:36
Goal setting for competitive debaters
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!
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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47:05
2024 Wrapped Part 2- Favourite Motions
In part two of our recap of 2024, Kate & Michael discuss some of our favourite motions we have seen and set, what we like about them and what they can tell us about what makes a good motion.
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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40:48
2024 Wrapped Part 1- What we learned and highlights
In this episode Kate & Michael discuss a year in debating. We cover some of the things we have learned over the past 12 months and some of the highlights of 2024. Mentioned in this episode are several resources including our Games Packs and...
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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53:05
Debate Partners- A how to
This is a reissue of an earlier episode featuring two of our very successful sixth form debaters discussing how to succeed with a variety of partners, how important long term debate partnerships are and how to adapt to partners.
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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36:43
What makes a good schools debating competition?
In this episode- originally an unplanned 'emergency pod' Kate & Michael discuss all the new competitions cropping up on the circuit, the move to more schools running their own competitions and what makes a competition successful.
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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36:14
'I've judged over 200 finals'
In this episode Michael chats to Craig McDonald, one of the most experienced debate judges on the planet about all things judging.
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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42:31
How to smash an Oxbridge interview (re-issue)
This is a re-issue of episode 19 in which Kate (who holds a first class undergrad and a PhD from Oxford and heads up South Hampstead's Oxbridge programme) discusses with Michael how Oxbridge applications work, how to do well in interviews, and ...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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1:00:04
Sitting down with team England
In this episode Michael sits down for a conversation with three of the team England debaters who took part in the 2024 world championships in Serbia. We discuss their experiences at the tournament and what it takes to speak for your country.&nb...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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31:18
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe: Speaker Series
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe spent over 5 years in an Iranian jail having committed no crime. In this special Speaker Series, Nazanin sits down with Anna Paul and a live audience and discusses the experience, what Boris Johnson said to her after s...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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1:03:49
Alexa, will you marry me?
This is a speech given at South Hampstead High School in 2024 by a year 11 student to an audience of roughly 1000. It has great examples of humour, repetition and juxtaposition of tone.
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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7:51
The principles of a running a great debate club part two (Re-issue)
For motions, resources and competitions, check out www.debatehub.co.uk
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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48:44
The principles of a running a great debate club (Re-issue)
With the new academic year fast approaching, we are re-publishing one of our most popular episodes. In the first half, Kate and Michael discuss some of the key principles to running a successful debate club. Remember our website debatehub.co.uk...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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35:58
The Global Issues Oracy Project
Michael sits down with Zoe Brass to discuss the global issues oracy project ran recently at South Hampstead High School.
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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21:02
Year 12s coaching year 5s
In this episode, two of our year 12s discuss their experience of running debate clubs for year 5s in some of our local state schools.
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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24:37
Public Speaking Competitions- Part 2
In part two of our bumper long episode about public speaking competitions, Michael & Kate discuss the importance of the 'compere' role and all the skills it brings, as well as why we let students have complete free reign on topic choice.&nb...
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Season 1
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Episode 24
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34:53
Public Speaking Competitions- Part 1
In the first half of this bumper episode, Michael & Kate discuss the format Debate Hub uses for our public speaking competitions, the reasons we designed it this way and how schools can replicate either our model or the principles behind it...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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37:12
The Oracy Conference
The South Hampstead Oracy conference takes place July 6th 2024. In this episode, Michael and Kate give a brief overview of what the conference is, who it's aimed at and why you should attend.
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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18:10
State Schools & Team England
In this episode we sit down with Cesca Reynolds, who runs the 'development squads' wing of England's national debate team, as well as her own organisation 'Impart.' Development squads is designed to help more state school students trial and spe...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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34:56
Primary Head & Author, Zoe Paramour
Zoe Paramour is the author of 3 education books: The Writing Book, The Grammar Book & How to be an Outstanding Primary Middle Leader. She has also been instrumental in the debating programme at South Hampstead Junior School and has a ...
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Season 1
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Episode 20
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29:34
Oxbridge Interviews
An in-depth discussion about the Oxbridge application process: admissions tests, what they really want to read in your personal statement and the dreaded interviews. How can debating help students prepare and what else can teachers and students...
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Season 1
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Episode 19
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1:00:04