Head's Newsletter - 17 January 2020

opportunities to ask current students about the application process which will no doubt prove invaluable. After some time exploring Cambridge, students returned to the Union for the evening's entertainment. First came the emergency debate carried out by students of the Union. Rather timely, this debate tackled the controversial topic of America's assassination of Qasem Soleimani. This was followed by the main event, chaired by our very own Gabriel. This complemented the emergency debate well, addressing the motion 'THB that Western military intervention in the Middle East has done more harm than good'. A heated and impassioned debate, including reflections of a first year Vietnamese student on the impact that American intervention had in his own country over many decades, clearly captivated our students who continued the debate long into the night on the minibus journey home. In what was a long but thoroughly interesting and enjoyable day our students were able to see first hand the opportunities that studying at an institution like Cambridge would offer. With any luck, we will see one of their number in the President's chair in the not too distant future.

On Thursday 16th January 14 Yr12 Politics & History students visited the Cambridge Union by the invitation of Old Tiffinian Gabriel Barton-Singer who has recently taken on the Presidency of the Union. The day started with a 2 hour debating workshop hosted by Gabriel in which students (and staff) participated in a spirited and often fairly confrontational verbal joust on the proposition: THB that the minimum voting age should be abolished. Touching on issues of political liberty, political engagement and even developmental psychology; students revelled in the opportunity to express themselves at the dispatch boxes as some of the great speakers of the last two centuries had done so before. After a fiery debate the motion was defeated by the smallest of margins, 9 to 8 with 1 crucial abstention. After this students were given the opportunity to tour some of Cambridge's colleges visiting Corpus Christi, Peterhouse and Trinity. During these tours students were given the inside track on life as a Cambridge student and given