A Halifax school has been chosen to trial a new scheme designed to engage young people with current affairs.
Crossley Health School is pioneering a new scheme, Votes for Schools, designed to get young people debating current issues ranging from the alleged ills of selfie culture to whether there should be a second EU referendum.
Each week a pupil panel chooses from a selection of three topics – all based on the news agenda – to debate in the class. After the debate, a vote is held on the issue.
Recent debates have included:
* Should mobile phones be banned in schools?
* Does the UK need more grammar schools?
* Is the Olympic spirit still alive?
* Should there be a second Brexit referendum?
* Do women have a different leadership style to men?
* Is there a North/South divide in the UK?
* Is the selfie culture a healthy one?
* Should zero size models be banned from the catwalk?
Emma Martin, Department Leader for PHSE, Citizenship and Careers said: “We are excited to be using Votes for Schools to enhance our students’ opportunities to debate relevant topics and give them a platform to express their valuable opinions.”
