St PetersCE Primary School

In our English lessons, we place a strong emphasis on discussion and debate to help children engage deeply with the books they are reading. Through structured debates, pupils explore important themes, characters’ choices and moral dilemmas, encouraging them to think critically about issues raised in texts.

Children work in groups to plan and take part in debates, developing clear opening arguments as well as thoughtful counter-arguments. This process helps them to listen carefully to others, respond respectfully to differing viewpoints and refine their own ideas. Debating not only builds confidence in speaking and listening, but also strengthens children’s ability to justify opinions using evidence from the text.

These rich discussions provide a powerful foundation for writing. Ideas explored orally are later developed into persuasive letters, balanced arguments and other forms of non-fiction writing, allowing children to transfer their spoken reasoning into clear, well-structured written work.

Our approach to debate strongly reflects our school values. Pupils demonstrate wisdom by considering complex ideas and evidence, respect by valuing different opinions, aspiration by striving to express their ideas clearly and convincingly, and community by working collaboratively and supporting one another. Through debate, children learn that their voices matter and that thoughtful discussion can lead to deeper understanding and stronger writing.