Our SFC1 pair, Zoë and Gia, won the regional heat of the Joutes Oratoires, the French debating competition, which took place at Marlborough College on Tuesday 31st January. They will be competing in the national final at the Institut Français in London in March.
Both girls were superb and impressed the judges with their beautiful French, the quality of their arguments and their ability to think on their feet. In the preliminary rounds they scored 44 out of a possible 45 points, arguing amongst other things that the Miss France beauty competition should not be abolished and that bullfighting should. These were topics they had prepared in advance.
In the final, where they were arguing that Artificial Intelligence was a threat to mankind (how many of us could do that in English?!), they only had 15 minutes to prepare their arguments.
In the final, they met strong opposition from Colyton Grammar School, Devon, but won the day thanks to the quality of their arguments and the excellence of their French. Thanks in particular to French Teacher, Mme McDonald, for preparing them so well.
Mr Campbell, Head of French
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