Priestley College’s debate team has progressed to the next round of the prestigious MACE Debate Competition following a victory over Loretto Grammar School.

They secured the win at the University of Law in Manchester, debating the motion: ‘This House believes that relationship-based reality TV should be banned.’

Eliza Stan, who studies three A-Levels and is part of Priestley’s High Achievers’ Programme, praised the team’s performance.

“Our argument was well-balanced, and we addressed challenges thoughtfully,” she said. “We responded to points of information respectfully and raised some strong ones ourselves.”

The team prepared intensively, developing structured arguments, rehearsing each speaker’s points, and conducting ‘one-sided debates’ in practice where teammates challenged them with points of information.

Team reserve Abi Sterna said the preparation was crucial, particularly given MACE’s seven-minute speech format.

“We started by noting every possible argument, then divided them between speakers. Having structure is vital because it helps the audience follow the case clearly,” she explained. “Practising against each other really helped strengthen our delivery and identify any gaps.”

The team’s confident, well-organised performance impressed both judges and peers. Fellow members, including Eliza and Timea Herdlicska, supported the team by refining arguments and testing points during practice sessions.

Eliza also highlighted the value of being part of the debate society at Priestley College.

“It’s important to be exposed to different perspectives, and engaging in passionate, relevant debates is exciting,” she said.

“Most importantly, I wanted to be part of a team. The society is exactly that – like-minded individuals coming together to learn, collaborate, and contribute to a community.”

The team now advances to the next round on 21st January, debating the motion: “This house would hold tech companies responsible for mental health problems caused by social media/technology”, where Priestley will argue for the opposition.

“We are beyond thrilled to continue,” Eliza added. “We’re looking forward to another engaging debate full of thought-provoking discussions.”