On Wednesday 22nd January, the second round of the ESU Schools Mace Debating Competition took place. KEHS were successful again, being chosen as one of the best two teams to go forward into the third round. Chloe, Cathy and Charlotte had to prepare arguments against the motion that vaccinations should be compulsory. Chloe argued that the government should focus instead on improving the accessibility of vaccinations, while Cathy defended the principle of medical autonomy and our right to choose whether to vaccinate or not. Charlotte summarised the debate, responding to questions asked by the audience about the effect of compulsory vaccination in Australia and religious objections to vaccination. The judge praised the sophistication of the team’s arguments, as well as their strong structure and prioritisation of points.

German exchange trip to Hamburg
When we were not out on trips, our pupils were attending lessons with their exchange partners in our partner school, the Gymnasium Oldenfelde in Hamburg-Rahlstedt. It was fascinating to see the many differences between the English and German school systems.