Bishop's Stortford High School students continue debating success

Bishop's Stortford High School debaters are the talk of the town after further competition success.

Their most notable accomplishment came in the first big face-to-face international finals day for two years, held at the world-famous Oxford Union.

The London Road secondary's duo of Elliot Wood and Finn Lihoreau were one of 104 teams, including representatives of schools in Canada, the Netherlands and Hungary as well as the likes of Eton, Winchester and St Paul's Girls School.

After four rounds, Finn and Elliot won two of their debates to finish 20th overall, the highest-placed British state school in the event.

Max O'Reilly and Nabil Shah travelled to the Cambridge Union as one of 64 teams competing face to face and online in the finals against contestants from Canada, India, the Philippines and Hong Kong.

Debating coach and retired teacher Tony Fraser said: "Although we haven't quite matched last year's annus mirabilis, this has been another very successful season of debating, cementing our position as one of the region's top schools.

"In total, no fewer than 26 students have represented the school in at least one inter-school competition. They all deserve hearty congratulations for their hard work, quick wits and very positive attitudes."

Head Dale Reeve added: "The students gain so much confidence from debating and it forces them to develop a much deeper understanding of some really important social issues, so I'm delighted not just by the great success of our teams but also by the number of different students who have represented the school this year.

"To be competing against schools from all over the world and proving successful against some of the best-resourced independent schools in the country is a great accolade."