The final of the ‘The Womble Bond Dickinson / Leeds Salon Years 10&11 Debating Competition 2026’ took place on Wednesday 1st April at the WBD Leeds offices – the fourth year leading transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (Leeds) has been Headline Partner in the thirteenth year of our annual competition for 14-to-16 year-olds.
The four qualifying rounds winners – Abbey Grange CofE Academy, Carr Manor Community School, Guiseley School and Mount St Mary’s Catholic High – competed over two knock-out debates and final decider.
Carr Manor Community School were declared 2026 Champions for the second time and year running, and Guiseley School were runners-up.
There were also three individual prizes awarded to: ‘Best Individual’ Layla Qahwaji of Guiseley School; ‘Highly Commended Individual’ Bella Middlemiss of Abbey Grange, and ‘Commended Individual’ Zephanial Mellor of Carr Manor.
Prize Sponsors were: Royal Armouries Museum (Leeds); the University of Leeds’ IDEA: The Ethics Centre; Leeds-based UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum UKREiiF; and Debating Matters, whose format we use.
Thank you to our teams of panel and individual judges: John Connor and Razvan Popa of Womble Bond Dickinson; Director General of the Royal Armouries Nat Edwards, Director of Civitas Schools and DM Ambassador Justine Brian; Robbie Arrell and Ruby Hornsby of IDEA: The Ethics Centre; Assistant Director of Research & Pedagogy at Outwood Grange Academies Trust Tarjinder Gill; Assistant Director at HMRC Russell Thomas; creative project consultant Jo Caswell; and the Leeds Salon’s Dan Clayton.
Prize Sponsors
