How our virtual debating courses work
What is a Virtual Debate Club course?
1.
Purchase course tickets
New customers
Create an online account and choose the course your child would like to take part in. This is where you can register your child’s details and tell us when you would like their sessions to run. You can also create an account for your child and tell us any information that you would like us to be aware of.
Existing customers
Log-in to your existing account, choose the course you child would like to take part in and update your child's details, and day/time preferences! If you are signing up a new child, you can register them in your account too.
2.
Get set up and ready
Register your details
In order for us to allocate your child to the perfect club we need to collect some details. In a very small number of cases we may ask you to change the day of your club.
Specify club day & time preference and then we'll match your child to the best group based on their experience.
3.
Take part and have fun!
Parent and student secure online account
Access your sessions each week through our online dashboard. Your child can learn from wherever they are as long as they have access to the internet! With one class a week after school, your child’s schedule is top of mind for us.
Develop confidence, key skills and feel engaged
Using Debate Mate's award-winning curriculum, your child will develop the fundamental skills necessary using a range of group activities and personalised feedback.
Receive awards, certificates & reports
During the course you will receive reports on your child’s progress and areas of improvement. Once they have completed the programme they will receive a final certificate.
Discover learning resources & future courses
Your child will get access to high quality resources to use between sessions. Finished a course? We have lots of options so your child can continue to debate, develop their skills and engage in current affairs
How we prioritise your child's safety
Read about our safeguarding efforts here
Our guarantees
We understand if you change your mind and we are pleased to offer a full refund if you change your mind after the first session. You can request a refund by contacting us here. We ask that if you have any issues with the session or are unhappy at the level of service, to contact us and we will do our best to resolve the problem.
FAQs
When do the sessions take place?
Fundamentals of Debating:
Wednesday: 11:00am, 5:30pm [UK time]Thursday: 5:30pm [UK time]
Saturday: 9:00am, 11:00am [UK time]
Exploring Series:
Tuesday: 5:30pm [UK time]Saturday: 10:30am [UK time]
You can select your first preference when you book. In a small number of cases we may ask for your second preference.
How long are the sessions?
For students aged 8-16, each session is an hour-long. For students aged 6-8, each session is 45 minutes long. We ask that you log in to the session 5 minutes early to check your video and audio settings before the club begins.
How do I join the sessions?
Please refer to our detailed joining instructions here. You need to download Zoom (but you do not need to set up an account). Once you have installed Zoom, you can join the session securely using the ‘Join Now’ button in your portal account.
What happens if I am experiencing technical difficulties?
Get in touch with us here.
How much does the programme cost and do you offer flexible payment options?
Our programmes cost £20 per session.
Do you offer any discounts?
True to our social purpose and values, we are committed to ensuring that children from all backgrounds have access to our high-quality programmes. We provide a number of discounts to make our programme accessibles for all students:
- We offer an 80% discount for children in receipt of free school meals. Contact us for a discount code.
- We offer a 20% discount for the children of NHS staff, Social Workers, Police officers, Armed forces and teachers. Contact us for a discount code.
- Our sibling discounts are 15% off the second child, and 30% off the third child. This discount is automatic at the checkout.
We also run regular seasonal promotions so keep an eye out for them!
If you are worried about accessing our programmes get in touch and our team will do our best to provide the right type of support.
What if my child doesn’t enjoy the programme after the first session?
Don’t worry, we will give you a full refund if your child does not want to continue beyond the first session.
What is your refund policy?
We understand if you change your mind and we are pleased to offer a full refund if you decide after the first session that the club isn’t a good fit for you. You can request a refund by contacting us here. We ask that if you have any issues with the session or are unhappy at the level of service, to contact_us and we will do our best to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
What happens if my child is unable to make a session?
If your child is unable to attend their usual session, they can use the resources on the Learning Zone to catch up on the content that they missed. The Learning Zone includes explanatory videos, interactive activities and self-learning challenges for students to complete in their own time.
What happens at the end of the term?
At the end of the term you will receive a Certificate of Completion and a personalised End of Term Report from your child’s mentors. Your child will also be eligible to progress onto the next level of our curriculum, designed to challenge and push students even further.
How many mentors will be in my child's club?
The majority of our clubs will be led by 2 DBS checked mentors. In rare occasions, clubs with 4 students or less will be led by 1 DBS checkers mentor. All clubs on our Juniors Programme (for students aged 6-8) will have 2 DBS checked mentors regardless of the number of students.
I haven't received a confirmation of when my child's club will start.
We will confirm your child’s club details in the week before the start of term. We also send a weekly reminder containing your child's club details on the morning of the club.
I don't seem to receive your emails.
Please check your SPAM or JUNK folder and add the email address: [email protected] to your address book. This will help to avoid your email moving us to spam!
Are you an approved activity provider for Duke of Edinburgh Awards
Yes, we are an approved activity provider for the skills section. Our programmes are suitable for all three levels. Please contact us should you need us to submit a report.
