Islington Tribune - News: Students test their debating skills in Indian odyssey

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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 14 March 2008

Teachers Michael Gooch, Kate Wilson, Richard Poddington, Joanna Stevens and Colin Chambers with Campion School teachers and pupils alongside students from Holloway School and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson College

Students test their debating skills in Indian odyssey

YOUNG debating experts from Holloway School and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson College (EGA) have returned from a successful trip to India.
The 14 lucky Year 10 pupils took their skills to the Campion School in Cochin, Kerala, where they helped Year 7 students prepare for a debating competition.
They later challenged Year 10 pupils at the Gregorian Public School to a debate.
The students also had time to watch a Malayalam movie, a martial arts display, take a boat trip on the waters of Aleppey, witness a Hindu temple festival and stroke some elephants.
They visited the world’s largest sari shop and challenged locals to football in the park.
EGA headteacher Jo Dibb said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for our students who really rose to the challenge. They learned so much about education and life for students in India and this can only help to foster their sense of responsibility on global scale.”
Holloway School teacher Richard Poddington, who accompanied the students, said: “The students were welcomed to The Campion School in Cochin in a fanfare of applause and witnessed an assembly that brought tears to the eyes of some students.
“The whole school, comprising more than 1,000 students, lined the circular stairwells and sang the school anthem.”
He added: “It was amazing to witness the adaptation of our British children, how open-minded they were and accepting of different cultures. The pupils were a credit to us all. This trip will always be remembered fondly and sets a benchmark for what our pupils can achieve if the opportunities are presented to them.
“This is the first in a line of the new Holloway enrichment programmes that will see our pupils developing their skills and broadening their horizons in other countries.”

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