Live online · Sundays · Small groups
Learn to build, attack and defend an argument, live, with an Oxford first-class graduate and award-winning debater.
ONLINE DEBATE CLUB
DEBATE CLUB AT A GLANCE
Build confidence, critical thinking and persuasive communication through expert-led online debate classes and group courses.
Live, expert-led online debate classes, run in small interactive groups by Minds Underground.
WHAT IT IS
Junior Club: ages 14 and under. Senior Club: ages 15–18. Complete beginners and experienced debaters are both welcome.
WHO IT’S FOR
Every Sunday. Junior 9:30–10:30am, Senior 10:45– 11:45am (UK time).
WHEN
Alice: Oxford First-Class Classics graduate, Cambridge MPhil and ESU My Magna Carta senior national winner.
LED BY
Structured debates, argument-building exercises, topical discussion and public-speaking practice.
IN EACH SESSION
Confident speaking, critical thinking and rebuttal, plus interview-ready reasoning for school and university applications.
OUTCOMES
£384 per term.
PRICE
FROM “I THINK” TO “HERE'S WHY.”
Debate turns opinions into arguments: structured, evidenced and delivered with poise, in school and far beyond it.
WHY JOIN OUR ONLINE DEBATE CLASSES?
Debating is one of the most transferable skills a young person can build. It shapes how they think, write and speak.
ANALYTICAL THINKING
Debating gives confidence, poise and self-esteem, as well as the ability to structure and organise thoughts. We build core logic and critical thinking tools: how to structure a case, test evidence, spot weak reasoning and justify a position convincingly.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Debate is fantastic for honing speech and communication skills. Project your voice, hold a room and answer back under pressure, in an encouraging group where every student speaks, every session.
BROADER PERSPECTIVES
Climate change, social media, free speech, the voting age, AI: students will gain exposure to the economic, social, political and philosophical questions shaping their world.
OXBIRDGE AND TOP UNIVERSITY READINESS
Admissions tests such as the TARA assess critical thinking and argument analysis in everyday language. Debate trains exactly that, and the interview that follows.
HOW A DEBATE SESSION WORKS
A topical discussion unpacks the motion, the key facts and what's really at stake.
01 BRIEF
Argument-building exercises: find the strongest points, structure them and anticipate the other side.
02 BUILD
A structured debate, For and Against, with speeches, rebuttal and responses to opposing speakers.
03 DEBATE
Feedback on content, structure and delivery, so every student knows exactly what to sharpen next week.
04 REFLECT
EXAMPLE MOTIONS
Topics span current affairs, politics, ethics, technology, science and society. They're refreshed regularly and pitched to each age group.
WHAT STUDENTS DEBATE
JUNIOR
This House believes social media does more harm than good for teenagers.
SENIOR
This House would bring back woolly mammoths from the dead.
JUNIOR
This House believes poetry has no use in modern society.
SENIOR
This House believes all citizens should receive a basic income from the state.
JUNIOR
This House would let students use AI to help with their homework.
JUNIOR
This House believes prisoners should have the right to vote.
MEET YOUR DEBATE CLUB MENTOR
ALICE
Oxford First-Class degree, Classics
Cambridge Master’s degree
ESU My Magna Carta senior national winner
Former teacher, Dauntsey's School
BP & ESU debater since school
Alice competed in British Parliamentary and ESU debating from a young age, reaching regional finals, before graduating with a First in Classics from Oxford and completing an MPhil at Cambridge. She has taught 11–18 year olds at Dauntsey's School, run academic clubs and supported students through Oxbridge preparation.
In Debate Club she teaches students to think critically, structure persuasive arguments and respond with confidence to opposing views, through lively debates on questions that matter.
CHOOSE YOUR DEBATE CLUB
Separate groups mean sessions are pitched to each student's age, stage and experience.
Sundays, 9:30–10:30am (UK time)
Builds the foundations: confident speaking, argument construction and critical thinking through accessible, engaging topics.
Speak in every single session
Structure a clear, persuasive argument
Respond calmly to the other side
Price per term: £384
JUNIOR DEBATE CLUB
Sundays, 10:45–11:45am (UK time)
Tackles complex contemporary issues and develops sophisticated argumentation, rebuttal, analysis and persuasive communication.
Advanced rebuttal and analysis
Deep current-affairs knowledge
Interview-ready reasoning under pressure
Price per term: £384
SENIOR DEBATE CLUB
SKILLS ADMISSIONS TUTORS LOOK FOR
Think clearly and articulate your reasoning under pressure: the core of Oxbridge and discussion-based interviews. This is also fantastic practice for students approaching school interviews from 11+ to 16+.
INTERVIEWS
Concrete super-curricular evidence of intellectual curiosity and real engagement with current affairs.
PERSONAL STATEMENTS
Regular practice analysing arguments and reasoning in everyday language, the skills tested in thinking skills assessments such as the Oxford TARA test or Westminster Thinking Skills Assessment.
ADMISSIONS TESTS
DEBATE CLUB QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
What is Minds Underground’s Online Debate Club?
Minds Underground’s Online Debate Club offers expert-led online debate classes for students who want to develop their public speaking, critical thinking and argumentation skills. Through structured debates, topical discussions and interactive exercises, students learn how to build persuasive arguments, respond confidently to opposing viewpoints and communicate their ideas clearly. Separate Junior and Senior Debate Clubs allow sessions to be tailored to students’ ages and abilities.
What are the benefits of joining an online debate club?
Joining an online debate club can help students develop public speaking confidence, critical thinking, persuasive communication, active listening and teamwork. At Minds Underground, students explore engaging debate topics and current affairs, learning to evaluate evidence, consider different perspectives and defend their ideas effectively. These skills can support academic performance as well as school interviews, essay writing, presentations and future university applications.
What skills will students develop in the Minds Underground Debate Club?
Students learn how to construct a strong argument, use evidence effectively, challenge opposing viewpoints and deliver persuasive speeches. Sessions also develop research, analytical thinking, rebuttal, teamwork and confident communication. Regular practice gives students the opportunity to become more articulate speakers while learning how to approach complex topics from multiple perspectives.
Is the Online Debate Club suitable for beginners?
Yes. The Minds Underground Online Debate Club is suitable for beginners as well as more experienced debaters. Students are supported in learning the fundamentals of debating, including how to structure an argument, present ideas clearly and respond to other speakers. As their confidence develops, they can progress to more sophisticated debates, techniques and topics.
What topics do students debate?
Students explore a wide range of age-appropriate debate topics, spanning current affairs, politics, ethics, technology, science, education, economics and society. Topics are regularly refreshed to reflect important contemporary issues and students’ interests, encouraging them to engage critically with the world around them.
What is the difference between the Junior and Senior Debate Clubs?
Our Junior and Senior Debate Clubs are designed for different ages and stages of debating experience. Junior students focus on developing the foundations of confident speaking, argument construction and critical thinking through accessible, engaging topics. Senior students tackle more complex contemporary issues and develop increasingly sophisticated skills in argumentation, rebuttal, analysis and persuasive communication.
Who teaches the online debate classes?
Minds Underground’s debate classes are led by experienced debaters, academics and specialist debate coaches. Our wider debating team has included UK National Debate Team coaches, Oxford and Cambridge debating society officers, international competition winners and experienced school debate coaches, giving students access to exceptional academic and debating expertise.
Can debating help with school and university applications?
Yes. Debating develops many of the skills valued in competitive school and university applications, including confident communication, independent thinking, intellectual curiosity and the ability to analyse unfamiliar questions. It can be particularly valuable preparation for interviews and discussion-based admissions processes, where students need to think clearly and articulate their reasoning under pressure.
How do the online debate classes work?
Sessions take place live online in small, interactive groups. Rather than simply listening to a lecture, students are encouraged to contribute throughout the session, develop arguments, respond to their peers and participate in structured debates. This gives every student regular opportunities to practise their speaking and analytical skills.
How do I join the Minds Underground Online Debate Club?
Students can register for the Junior or Senior Online Debate Club through the Minds Underground website. If you are unsure which group would be most suitable, our team can advise based on the student’s age, experience and goals.