Brett Wigdortz OBE | This House Would Abolish Private Schools | Cambridge Union

Brett Wigdortz OBE speaks as the first proposition for the motion in the Debating Chamber on Thursday 23rd January 2025.
We are delighted to announce the first debate of Lent Term: 'This House Would Abolish Private Schools' on Thursday 23rd January 2025 and OPEN TO ALL. Find the application form in the bio to audition for the final proposition speaker. Interviews to commence over the weekend.
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Cambridge Union Society Debate Info:
In The Chair: Sammy McDonald
Taking the Minutes: Leonas Pausch
The Debate Motion title is always preceded in context by the phrase “This House Would”, “This Would Believes”, or simply “This House”.
The Debate motion is typically phrased in Proposition of the argument prior to any votes or speeches, regardless of controversial nature.
Six 10 minute speeches are given, alternating between each Proposition & Opposition speaker of the Debate Motion.
The Chair governs authority over interjections, time limits, and any discretions/arrangements agreed between speakers and/or CUS.
There are two ways interjections can be made by audience members; a Point of Information (upon acceptance from the speaker) or a Floor Speech. (Interjections are not to be interpreted as Audience Questions and can be denied or ignored at discretion of the Speaker or Chair)
Points of Interest cannot be made during the first & last minutes of any speech, they also must be under 30 seconds and maintain relevance.
(As a result it is impractical to provide microphones for Points of Interest and apologise for any issues with audibility)
Floor speeches are made by audience members at intervals during the Debate discussing support for Proposition, Opposition or Abstention.
(The Union rarely publishes Floor Speeches due to Release Form arrangements within membership contracts)
At the end of the Debate, all Speakers and audience members cast their vote as they leave the Debating Chamber through doors labelled “AYES” & “NOES”, with the central door exit representing Abstentions.
The Chair calls an announcement shortly after the Debate to confirm the votes.
Full Debate:
• This House Would Aboli...
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Thumbnail Photographer: Nordin Catic
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BRETT WIGDORTZ OBE
Brett Wigdortz OBE is the co-founder and CEO of Tiney.co. He also wrote the original business plan for Teach First and led the organisation for fifteen years, helping to build it into one of the UK’s leading movements to tackle education inequality and the largest graduate recruiter in the country. He is co-founder and was Deputy CEO of Teach For All, which has brought the model to over 50 countries around the world.
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[@MrYao-vo1ly]

If education is a civil right, then who is responsible for providing it? Will it simply fall from the sky? And if it is a right, does that mean everyone is entitled to attend Cambridge, like those in this debate?
If British state education is as good as claimed, why is the average GCSE Maths score only 15%, with half the country performing below even that?
If the Mumbai school is the best Mr. Wigdortz has ever seen, can we expect him to send his own children there? Or is it only "the best" for other people’s children?
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