Combined High Schools representative debating

Years 11 and 12

NSW senior government school students trial for places in one of three representative Combined High Schools teams. Those teams then compete against other representative teams from various private school organisations in a bid to win the NSW Representative Debating Cup.

About the competition

Each year, the NSW Department of Education selects a squad of around 12 senior high school students to compete in a series of representative debates against 3 private school organisations. Selection trials will be held at The Arts Unit in Lewisham on Saturday 2 August 2025. The selected squad will then take part in a series of training sessions with some of the state's most experienced coaches, and that training is held online to allow students from across the state to take part. Students from regional areas are invited to trial provided they can commit to attending the in-person competition debates in Sydney.

Registration will open in Term 2, and we'll have a link to register on this page. In the meantime please note the following rules of the competition.

Students must be from Year 11 or 12.
Students can be nominated by coaches and adjudicators or may nominate themselves using the form.
Selection trials will take place on Saturday 2 August 2025.
A maximum of 3 students from each school can be selected for the squad.
The selected students will need to be availaible to participate in a series of coaching sessions.
The Combined High Schools teams will face teams from the IGSA, GPS, and CAS debating organisations in a series of debates in Term 3.
Firsts, Seconds and Thirds debates are held simultaneously in the evening at a host school.
Medallions and CHS ties are awarded to team members of the Firsts, Seconds, and Thirds. The NSW Representative Debating Cup is awarded to the champion representative team.