Debating
St Mary's College debating program: DAV Schools Competition for Years 9–12, the Junior Secondary Program for Years 7–8, Thursday training, 2026 round dates and how to register for 2027.
Debating at St Mary's College is one of our longest-running co-curricular programs, with around 60 Senior students taking part each year. We compete in the Debaters Association of Victoria (DAV) Schools Competition, the largest schools debating competition in Australia, and run an in-house Junior Secondary Program for Years 7 and 8. No experience is needed — coaching starts from the basics of speaking with structure and confidence.
Training
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Day | Thursday (every week of term) |
| Time | 3:30–4:30pm |
| Venue | Room S12, Senior Learning Commons |
| Coach | Ms Rebecca Stroud, with Year 11–12 student mentors |
| Years | 7–12 |
| Cost | Free — DAV registration is paid by the College |
Sessions cover argument construction, rebuttal, manner and matter, and practice debates on the current DAV topic areas. Students who cannot attend every week are still welcome; competing team members are expected to attend the two Thursdays before each round.
Grades
Teams are entered by year level, following DAV grading:
| DAV grade | St Mary's year level | 2026 teams |
|---|---|---|
| A Grade | Year 12 | 1 team |
| B Grade | Year 11 | 2 teams |
| C Grade | Year 10 | 2 teams |
| D Grade | Year 9 | 3 teams |
| Junior Secondary Program (in-house) | Years 7–8 | up to 6 teams |
2026 DAV Schools Competition rounds
Rounds are held on Thursday evenings at host schools in the Northern Metro region. Debates start at 6:00pm and the evening usually finishes by approximately 9:00pm. Topics for Rounds 1–3 are released one week in advance; Rounds 4–5 include a secret topic with one hour of preparation on the night.
| Round | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Thursday 19 March 2026 | Prepared topic |
| Round 2 | Thursday 30 April 2026 | Prepared topic |
| Round 3 | Thursday 21 May 2026 | Prepared topic |
| Round 4 | Thursday 18 June 2026 | Secret topic |
| Round 5 | Thursday 30 July 2026 | Secret topic |
| Octo-finals | Thursday 13 August 2026 | Secret topic |
2026 result: our B Grade team (Year 11) finished the regular rounds 4–1 and qualified for the octo-finals on Thursday 13 August 2026, losing narrowly on a split decision. Congratulations to all six Senior teams — 21 of our 30 debaters were competing for the first time.
Junior Secondary Program (Years 7–8), Term 4
Years 7 and 8 debate in an in-house program modelled on the DAV Junior format (three speakers, four-minute speeches). It runs on Thursdays from Thursday 15 October to Thursday 26 November 2026, 3:30–4:30pm in Room S12, finishing with a grand final in front of parents at 3:45pm on Thursday 26 November 2026. Sign up via Parent Portal > Forms > "Co-curricular Clubs" by Friday 9 October 2026.
Transport and permission
- A permission form for each DAV round is published on the Parent Portal about two weeks in advance and must be completed by the Monday before the round.
- Where the host school is more than 20 minutes away, a College minibus leaves the Senior Gate at 5:00pm and returns by approximately 9:30pm. For closer venues, families arrange their own transport and meet Ms Stroud at the host school at 5:40pm.
- Students wear full winter uniform with blazer. Bring a water bottle and a light dinner to eat before the debate.
- Parents and supporters are very welcome in the audience.
Registering for 2027
DAV team registrations for 2027 open in Term 1, Week 2 — Monday 1 February 2027, and close two weeks later. Students in Years 9–12 (2027) sign up via the Parent Portal or by attending the first training session on Thursday 4 February 2027. Teams are confirmed by mid-February so that Round 1 preparation can begin.
What debating teaches
Debating builds skills that show up directly in VCE English, Legal Studies and oral presentations: constructing an argument, listening critically, thinking on your feet, and speaking with clarity in front of an audience. Just as importantly, students learn to disagree respectfully — a value we hold at the heart of College life. Many of our student leaders, including recent College Captains, came through the debating program.
Contact
Ms Rebecca Stroud can be reached through the Parent Portal staff directory or via the Senior Office on (03) 9555 0100. For all clubs, see Clubs & Activities.