Talented students from Sutton Coldfield’s John Willmott School proved winning debaters in a speaking event which has been part of the town’s calendar for more than 20 years.

Members of Royal Sutton Coldfield Chamber of Commerce were tasked with judging the  annual Sixth Form School Debating contest, in a fascinating evening of argument and ideas.

Vice chairman Gary Phelps hosted the event, with executive committee members Tina Swani and Dennis Kennedy acting as judges.

Talented students from John Willmott School won first place in the contest, which has been organised by Sutton Coldfield MP Andrew Mitchell for more than 20 years and returned after a three-year break caused by the pandemic.

During the competition’s two-decade history, John Willmott had been the only local school to never lift the top prize of Best Debating Team, but students Hunor Veres and Tatenda Mutonga changed that this year.

The duo impressed judges Tina, of Sutton Coldfield Charitable Trust, and Dennis, of Community Games organisers Inspire Activity, with persuasive debates on Post-Brexit Britain and the Royal Family.

Mr Mitchell was unable to attend the debates for the first time in years, due to urgent Ministerial duties brought about by the crisis in Sudan, so head judge Gary Phelps stepped in to chair the event.

Mr Mitchell said: “I was so very sorry not to be able to attend Arthur Terry school, for the annual parliamentary debating competition, which always promises to be a highlight in my diary.

“This was because I was detained in London due to the ongoing crisis in Sudan which is threatening many including British Citizens, which I was dealing with in my ministerial role in the Foreign Office.

"However, it’s clear that a wonderful evening was had, leaving all those who attended inspired by the brilliant young people who took part.

“I would like to thank Gary Phelps for generously agreeing to chair the contest at such short notice, Dennis Kennedy and Tina Swani on the judging panel and all those involved in organising what was as many have told me since, a fantastic evening.

“Many congratulations to Hunor Veres and Tatenda Mutonga from John Willmott School for their first ever win of the debating competition in the 20-plus years it has been in existence.

“Their success is a clear sign that the school is on the up, and I know everyone in the audience was hugely impressed by their debating skills.”

Nicola Gould, headteacher of John Willmott, which is part of the Arthur Terry Learning Trust, was delighted at the win.

She said: “We are so proud of Hunor and Tatenda for winning the debating competition. It’s the first time our school has won it, and the quality of the competition was, as always, incredibly high.

“We’ll be bringing the trophy back to John Willmott now, and hope it inspires our students to go on and compete in more contests and aim ever higher.”

Second place went to Arson Kalambettu and Sam Bryars from Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, while Arthur Terry’s Isla Bergin-Smith picked up the award for ‘Best Speaker’, after passionately debating Brexit and the sale of human organs.

Schools involved in the contest were The Arthur Terry School, John Willmott School, Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, Plantsbrook School, Bishop Walsh Catholic School, Sutton Coldfield College, Fairfax Academy and Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls.

All of the debaters who took part in the contest will visit Mt Mitchell for a tour of the House of Commons later this year, where they will get the chance to see Parliamentary debates in action.

And as winners, John Willmott will host next year’s competition.

Pictured: Hunor Veres and Tatenda Mutonga from John Willmott school with judges Dennis Kennedy and Tina Swani and chairman Gary Phelps