Hampton’s Sixth Form linguists excelled in the Regional French Debating Competition, with two Hamptonians progressing to the National Final.
The annual competition, held at St Paul’s Girls’ School and organised by the Institut Français, involved 54 teams from schools from across the region. Hampton’s two debating teams were made up of Sixth Formers Henry, Milo, Noah and Gabriel. Lower Sixth Hampronians Milo and Henry gave an excellent performance, winning two out of three debates, while twins Noah and Gabriel triumphed in the regional heat to advance to the national final which will take place during the Mois de la Francophonie in March.
Debating topics such as the future of mass tourism, the role of social media influencers and the future of extremism in politics, the Francophiles demonstrated excellent critical thinking, remarkable spontaneity and prowess in their spoken French. The annual competition helps pupils to gain confidence in spoken French and to address current topics that are relevant to the French-speaking world; participants learn to develop control of the language system and build coherent arguments, directly in French, interacting with their fellow contestants on the spot. From constructed, logical opening statements to the ferocious lutte acharnée, this is a real test of the language and the ability to think on your feet.
In the last six years, Hampton have triumphed in the regional heat three times, winning the national competition twice: a testament to our pupils’ ability to think for themselves, to defend their arguments and more importantly, show their mastery of the French language without losing composure. Bravo et bonne chance pour la suite!
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