Hampton’s exceptional Upper Sixth French debaters, Noah and Gabriel, achieved a superb third place at the Joutes Oratoires Lycéennes national debating competition, held at the French Institute, capping off a superb journey through this year’s prestigious event.
Throughout the finals day, the pair delivered performances of remarkable fluency, insight and confidence. Their outstanding command of French, together with the passion and composure they brought to each debate, earned them praise from adjudicators and fellow competitors alike. They tackled a wide range of thought‑provoking motions, including “Cars must be banned from town centres”, “You must be able to be bored”, and “You should never change a winning team”.
In the Bronze final, Noah and Gabriel debated the motion “It’s always right to anticipate”, securing a well‑deserved victory over Reading School, having already prevailed against an excellent Wellington College team earlier in the day. Their success reflects not only their talent but also their resilience, teamwork and determination — qualities that make this national podium finish particularly special.
This achievement marks Hampton’s fourth national final in recent years and our third podium finish within six years — a testament to the strength, consistency and ambition of our outstanding linguists.
