The School takes part in three debating competitions, ISDA and Eastside in Terms I and II and GPS in Term III.
Debates are held on Friday nights. Home debates are held in the Palladium Building. A diagram of the building appears at the end of this page.
Entry to the School is from Stanley Street. Parking is available at the nearby Riley Street Parking Station. Supper is held in the Alastair Mackerras Theatre Foyer near the Stanley Street entrance.
ISDA Competition
The Independent Schools Debating Association (ISDA) competition involves nearly 40 schools divided into four zones. A set of seven preliminary rounds is followed by three semi-finals and a grand final round.
Year 7-8 teams prepare at 5:55pm and debate at 7pm. Year 9 and 10 and Senior teams prepare at 6:55pm and debate at 8pm. These times may not apply to social debates and you should check starting times with your coach.
The venues and dates for Grammar’s ISDA involvement in 2009 are listed below.
Further information about the competition may be found at the website http://www.isdadebating.info/.
- Pre-season
- February 20 v TGS (TGS)
- Round 1
- March 6 v Monte (CS)
- Round 2
- March 13 v Abbotsleigh (Abbotsleigh)
- Round 3
- March 20 v Knox (CS)
- Round 4
- March 27 v Roseville (CS)
- Round 5
- April 3 v St Luke's (St Luke's)
- Term I Holidays
- Round 6
- May 8 v Ravenswood (Ravenswood)
- Round 7
- May 15 v MLC (CS)
- Semi-final 1
- May 29
- June 5 Queen's Birthday Weekend
- Semi-final 2
- June 12
- Semi-final 3
- June 19
- Grand Final
- June 26
Eastside Debating Competition
The Eastside Debating Competition involves schools from Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
Year 7-9 teams prepare at 5:55pm and debate at 7pm. Year 10 teams and Senior teams prepare at 6:55pm and debate at 8pm. These times may not apply to social debates and you should check starting times with your coach.
The venues and dates for Grammar’s involvement in the Eastside competition 2009 are listed below.
- Pre-season 1
- February 20 v Trinity (Trinity)
- Round 1
- February 27 v Reddam (CS)
- Round 2
- March 6 v SGHS (SGHS)
- Round 3
- March 13 v SHS (CS)
- Round 4
- March 20 v SCEGGS (SCEGGS)
- Round 5
- March 27 v TSC (TSC)
- Term I Holidays
- Semifinals
- May 1 (TBA)
- Grand final
- May 8 (TBA)
GPS Debating Competition
Please note carefully the start times for debates in this competition, which may not agree with previous social debates or with ISDA or Eastside in Terms I and II.Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 teams prepare at 5:55pm and debate at 7pm. First, Second, Third teams prepare at 6:55pm and debate at 8:00pm.
Lengths of debates
| Year 7 | 3-5 minutes | Year 10 | 5-6 minutes |
| Year 8 | 4-5 minutes | 1st-3rd | 6-8 minutes |
| Year 9 | 5-6 minutes |
Transport
There will be buses arranged for all away debates. There will be NO return buses. Note that the buses depart to arrive in time for the Year 8-10 preparations at 6pm, so the boys will need to come prepared to keep busy in the interim time. As usual, there will be a bus-booking sheet at Master’s reception.
Sides (In ALL years)
The home team affirms in Firsts, Thirds and any A teams. The visitors affirm in the seconds and any B teams. Any C teams debate at the discretion of the schools involved but would normally follow this pattern with the home team affirming.
GPS Debating Fixtures (Host in brackets)
- Pre-season
- June 12 v Cranbrook (Cranbrook)
- Pre-season
- June 19 v NC (CS)
- Round 1
- July 31 v TKS (TKS)
- Round 2
- August 7 v Shore (CS)
- Round 3
- August 14 v SJC (SJC)
- Round 4
- August 21 v NC (NC)
- Round 5
- August 28 v TSC (CS)
- Round 6
- September 4 v SHS (SHS)
- Round 7
- September 11 v SIC (CS)
Further information
Further information may be available on the GPS debating website.
Debating Contacts
- Form I
- Mrs Slezak/Dr Lawrence
- Form II
- Mrs Wong
- Form III
- Mrs Cleave
- Form IV
- Mr Tupman (Term I)
- Mr Amati (Term II-IV)
- Form V/VI
- Mrs Harrison (Term I)
- Dr Wilson (Term II-IV)
- MIC ISDA
- Mrs Rupolo
- MIC Eastside
- Mrs Robinson
- MIC GPS
- Dr Dorofaeff
The addresses and maps of each School involved in the ISDA Competition, not found in the School Diary, are located on the ISDA website.
Here is the information for Eastside:
- Reddam House
-
56 Mitchell Street
North Bondi, NSW 2026
Telephone: 9300 8200 - Sydney Girls' High School
-
Anzac Parade
Surry Hills, NSW 2010
Telephone: 9331 2336 - SCEGGS Darlinghurst
-
215 Forbes Street
Darlinghurst, NSW 2010
Telephone: 9332 1133
Palladium Building
Sydney Grammar School debates are held in the Palladium Building, College Street (map below).
