The English-Speaking Union Schools' Mace is an annual debating tournament for secondary schools in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The competition was founded in 1957 by the journalist Kenneth Harris of The Observer newspaper,[1] and was initially known as The Observer Schools' Mace. Since 1995, the tournament has been organised by the English-Speaking Union, with assistance from several regional convenors.[2]

Schools across the United Kingdom and Ireland are eligible to enter one team in the championships each year, made up of three student debaters from the school. Teams compete in multiple rounds before regional finals, the winners from each of the twelve regions going on to the national final day. Final day is made up of two rounds: the semi-finals, in which the regional champions are split into two groups of six, with the winning team of each group moving on to the last round, and the grand final, the winner of which is crowned national champion, receiving medals and a trophy, as well as having their names put on the Silver Mace the competition is named for.

The equivalent competition for universities in the UK and Ireland is the John Smith Memorial Mace.

Past champions

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2024 Radley College, Oxford
2023 St Paul's Girls' School, London[3]
2022 Tonbridge Grammar School, Kent
2021 Wellington College, Berkshire[4]
2020 None (Cancelled due to COVID-19)
2019 Saint Francis Xavier's College
2018 George Watson's College, Edinburgh
2017 St Francis College, Rochestown
2016 Loreto College, St Stephen's Green, Dublin
2015 St Columba's School, Kilmacolm
2014 George Heriot's School, Edinburgh
2013 Dulwich College, London
2012 Eton College, Berkshire
2011 St Paul's School, London
2010 Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, Hertfordshire
2009 St Paul's School, London
2008 Dalriada School, County Antrim
2007 Grove Academy, Dundee
2006 City of London School
2005 St Bonaventure's RC School, London
2004 George Heriot's School, Edinburgh
2003 The Bishop's Stortford High School, Hertfordshire
2002 Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, Hertfordshire
2001 George Heriot's School, Edinburgh
2000 Sandford Park High School, Dublin
1999 High School of Glasgow
1998 High School of Glasgow
1997 Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Cork
1996 Westminster School, London
1995 George Heriot's School, Edinburgh
1994 Harrogate Grammar School
1993 Durham Johnston Comprehensive School
1992 Aylesbury Grammar School
1991 Watford Grammar School for Boys
1990 Solihull Sixth Form College
1989 Westminster School, London
1988 Ripon Grammar School
1987 Lancing College, West Sussex
1986 Lowlands Sixth Form College, Harrow
1985 Liverpool College
1984 St George's College, Weybridge
1983 Solihull Sixth Form College
1982 Winchester College
1981 Hereford Cathedral School
1980 Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, Herts
1979 Sutton High School for Girls
1978 City of London School
1977 Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, Herts
1976 Marlborough College, Wilts
1975 Ampleforth College, North Yorks
1974 Tynemouth College, North Tyneside
1973 Tudor Grange Grammar School, Solihull
1972 Hereford Cathedral School
1971 Queen Elizabeth's School for Girls, Barnet
1970 Convent of the Holy Child, Blackpool
1969 Hampton Grammar School, Middlesex
1968 Bromsgrove School, Worcs
1967 St Lawrence College, Kent
1966 King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls, Birmingham
1965 Eton College, Windsor
1964 Eton College, Windsor
1963 Ampleforth College, North Yorks
1962 Dulwich College, London
1961 Felsted School, Essex
1960 Christ's Hospital, West Sussex
1959 City of Bath Boys' School
1957 Felsted School, Essex

See also

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References

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  1. ^ The journalist who saved The Observer The Guardian, 3 July 2005
  2. ^ Schools Mace Debating Competition
  3. ^ Goodfellow, Natasha (2023-03-30). "Schools' Mace Debating Competition Winners". ESU. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  4. ^ "National Success for Our Debating Champions". 29 April 2021.
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