Is Ivy Spires exclusively for students interested in debate competitions?

Not at all. While debate competitions are one avenue, Ivy Spires welcomes any student aiming to think critically, speak confidently, and reason ethically. Many students join to enhance academic communication and critical thinking, beyond competitive debating.

Which age groups or grade levels are Ivy Spires programs designed for?

Ivy Spires programs are tailored for middle and high school students in Grades 6 to 12. With age-appropriate pathways, students can join at various stages and advance at their own pace.

What makes Ivy Spires unique compared to other public speaking or debate coaching classes?

Ivy Spires treats speech and debate as rigorous academic disciplines with structured learning, ethical reasoning, and a focus on fostering long-term intellectual growth — not short-term coaching for competitions.

What programs are available at Ivy Spires?

Ivy Spires offers four structured programmes: the Online Debate Curriculum (Grades 6-12), the Global Debate Practice League, Masterclass Workshops, and International Tournaments. Each is designed to build critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and confident communication.

How does Ivy Spires collaborate with international institutions?

Ivy Spires holds an exclusive partnership with the Harvard Debate Council, ensuring our programs meet rigorous global debate standards. We also align with UNESCO global citizenship education priorities.

What is the Ivy Spires Knowledge Packet?

The Ivy Spires Knowledge Packet is a fortnightly knowledge briefing for students in Grades 6-12, delivered in Middle School and High School editions. Each issue covers one global topic across geography, history, international relations, civics, and global perspectives — with print-ready PDFs, vocabulary glossaries, MUN preparation materials, and home activities. Available for Rs. 999 per month with a 14-day free trial.

Does Ivy Spires offer programs for schools and institutions?

Yes. Ivy Spires partners directly with schools to embed debate curriculum, run interschool tournaments, train judges, and create bespoke programmes tailored to each school's academic calendar and goals.

Why is ethical reasoning a core part of Ivy Spires curriculum?

Ethical reasoning develops responsible communicators who engage thoughtfully with complex issues. Our curriculum integrates ethical frameworks so students understand the impact of their words and arguments — fostering intellectual responsibility alongside confidence.

The Full Tournament Schedule — August 28, 29, and 30 in Detail

Priya Khaitan
4 days ago
3 min read

August 28 — Friday: Preliminary Rounds

8:15 AM — Doors open. Early arrival encouraged. Use the pre-round time to settle, find your partner, confirm your room assignment. No preparation material during this window.

8:30 AM — Registration and badge collection. School check-in for team registrations.

9:00 AM — Welcome briefing and format overview. Judging panel introduction. Stream assignments confirmed.

9:10 AM — Motion for Round One released. Fifteen-minute preparation window begins.

9:25 AM — Round One begins. Four speeches of seven minutes each, plus four-minute summary speeches. Total round time approximately seventy minutes.

11:00 AM — Round One concludes. Short break. Round Two motion released at 11:15 AM.

11:30 AM — Round Two begins.

1:00 PM — Lunch break. Round Two written feedback distributed. Read it during lunch. Identify your one-point fix for Round Three.

2:00 PM — Round Three motion released.

2:15 PM — Round Three begins.

3:45 PM — Round Three concludes. Preliminary results tabulated. Qualifying teams for elimination rounds announced by 4:30 PM.

5:00 PM — Day One feedback session. Round Three written feedback distributed. Brief group debrief with coaching team. Day One close.

August 29 — Saturday: Elimination and Developmental Rounds

9:00 AM — Quarter-finals for qualifying teams. Developmental bracket Round Four for non-qualifying teams — structured as a learning round with extended judge debrief after each speech rather than at the round's end.

11:30 AM — Semi-finals for qualifying teams. Developmental bracket Round Five for remaining teams. This round uses an accessible motion from the beginner stream topic bank regardless of stream, ensuring the developmental bracket remains focused on reasoning quality rather than topic knowledge.

2:00 PM — All Day Two written feedback distributed. Team preparation time for Day Three final and third-place match.

3:30 PM — Optional open coaching session for all participants. Coaching team available for individual feedback consultations.

August 30 — Sunday: Grand Final and Awards

10:00 AM — Grand Final. The motion for the Grand Final is drawn from the open stream topic bank and is released fifteen minutes before the round. All registered participants and families welcome to observe.

12:00 PM — Third-place match. Grand Final adjudication completed.

2:00 PM — Awards ceremony. Best Speaker announcement and citation. Best School announcement and trophy. Finalists and semi-finalists recognised. All participants receive HDC-sanctioned participation certificates.

3:00 PM — Closing remarks from the Ivy Spires founding team and HDC panel representative. Tournament close.

Logistics — What to Know Before You Arrive

Venue details confirmed to registered participants one week before August 28 — check the email address used during registration. The tournament is conducted online via a confirmed video conferencing platform. All participants receive login credentials and room assignments 48 hours before August 28. Technical requirements: stable internet connection, camera and microphone enabled device, quiet room available for the duration of each round. Judges are briefed on technical difficulties — if a connection drops during a speech, the round will be paused and resumed; no speaker will be disadvantaged by technical issues outside their control.

Nine Days. The Schedule Is Set.

Every student in the confirmed field now knows exactly what August 28, 29, and 30 look like. The uncertainty that anticipatory arousal feeds on — the unknown shape of the tournament days — has been removed. What remains is the preparation, the consolidation, and the nine mornings between today and August 28. One session per day. The opposition-first protocol. The two-column listening note. The structural template, until it is automatic. Then rest. Then 8:15 AM.

The Standard is Not Optional.

Ivy Spires is India's exclusive Harvard Debate Council representative. Foundation Cohort for Grades 6 and 7 and Academy for Grades 8–12 are enrolling now. The Ivy Spires Invitational runs August 28–30, 2026 — 9 days away. Visit ivyspires.com.