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A Storm of Ideas Brews in Warwickshire – The KMAT Great Debate Returns Bigger Than Ever

Something electric is stirring in the heart of leafy Warwickshire. A wave of curiosity, ambition, and spirited discussion is sweeping through classrooms, corridors, and communities—and its name is the KMAT Great Debate.

This autumn, Kenilworth School will once again take centre stage as host of a competition that’s fast becoming one of the most talked-about intellectual events in the region. What began in October 2024 with just six schools is now exploding into a county-wide phenomenon: twenty-three secondary schools from across Coventry and Warwickshire have stepped up to the challenge for this year’s showdown.

Due to overwhelming interest, 2025 will see the introduction of a qualification tournament. Schools will battle it out in a league format, sharpening their arguments and raising their voices in pursuit of one goal: a coveted spot in the Grand Final on October 8th.

The stakes? Huge. The stage? Even bigger. The top ten teams will face an extraordinary panel of judges, hand-picked to reflect a broad and diverse spectrum of voices. Regional representatives from Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green, and Reform parties will sit alongside alumni, community leaders, and professionals from across Warwickshire’s business and civic landscape.

And behind the scenes? The entire event is student-powered. Organised and led by our brilliant Key Stage 5 students—with key support from Key Stage 4—this debate isn’t just about ideas. It’s about leadership, creativity, and real-world experience.

Want to follow the action? Tune in on social media—just search for KMAT Great Debate. We're already unveiling participating schools via our Facebook page, and that's where you'll find the thrilling moment when we announce the finalists headed to the Grand Stage.

This isn’t just a competition—it’s a movement. It’s students taking charge. It’s voices rising. It’s the KMAT Great Debate—and it’s unlike anything you’ve seen before.

"This will be one of the most creative and emmersie debates for students in an competitive environment the sclae of the kmat debating has accelerated at a pace and we look forward to welcome many participants from new schools who ghave been attracted to the format of our debating. I hope you will be enticed by intervation to join us." Said Hayden Abbott, CEO

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