Programs for Grades 1–12
From first-time speakers to experienced competitors, Capstone develops confident communicators through:
In 2026, 18 Capstone students were selected for Team Hong Kong’s WSDC pool. Read the record
Explore the programs
Browse every program by stage below. A free one-to-one placement assessment with a debate teacher confirms the most suitable level for your child.
Primary programs
Young speakers build confidence first, then develop structured arguments and the skills used in complete debate rounds.
Grades 1–3
Build confidence through stories, games and speaking
Through games, stories and guided practice, children learn to organise their ideas and speak clearly in familiar situations, including show-and-tell, class discussions and respectful disagreement.
Grades 3–4
Learn to make and support a clear point
Students explore issues that matter to them, form their own views and learn how to open a speech, support a point and respond thoughtfully to another speaker.
Grades 3–4
Put speaking skills into a full debate
Students examine global issues from more than one side, practise full debate rounds and learn the basics of World Schools and British Parliamentary formats.
Grades 5–6
Build strong arguments on more complex topics
Students examine more complex current issues, evaluate them independently and organise their strongest reasons into persuasive speeches that are easy to follow.
Grades 5–6
Develop the skills used in competitive debate
Students practise case-building, rebuttal and strategy through age-appropriate World Schools and British Parliamentary debate.
Secondary programs
Secondary classes range from formal debate foundations to tournament formats and advanced strategy.
Grades 7–9
Build a strong foundation in formal debate
Students explore current issues, form independent opinions and learn to build well-supported arguments while answering opposing views with clarity.
Grades 7–12
Train consistently in competitive debate formats
Students practise World Schools and British Parliamentary debate while developing faster rebuttal, sharper strategy and stronger teamwork.
Grades 7–12
Prepare for demanding regional and international competition
Advanced debaters deepen their subject knowledge, refine strategy and learn to make better decisions under pressure.
Optional practice for PSD II+
Eligible Primary and Secondary students can add paid debate spars to their regular class.
A monthly fee unlocks every spar scheduled that month, subject to available places.
Packages run for 1, 3 or 6 months, and longer packages cost less per month.
Official Team members receive heavily subsidised access.
Competitive pathways
Capstone students are regularly selected for national-team squads at the World Schools Debating Championships. Read the verified records behind the two most recent selection years.
National-team selection is independent. Team Hong Kong trials are run by HKDSC. Capstone trains students, but does not select them for a national team or guarantee a place.
Who teaches at Capstone
Our coaches include international champions, national-team coaches and senior adjudicators at major global tournaments. They bring that experience into every lesson through practical, individual feedback.
Meet the coaching teamQuestions parents often ask
Programs & pathway
Most families browse the programs, then book a free 15-minute one-to-one placement assessment. From there the path usually looks like:
Challenge rises with level: short, supported speaking → structured argument → full rounds → longer prep-and-speech work, clash resolution and advanced strategy.
Speaking and debate are useful early, and Capstone runs a pathway for children at every stage from Grades 1–12. Younger students start with confidence, clarity and short turns. As they grow, the work becomes more structured, longer and more strategic — from one clear reason, to full rounds, to competitive preparation.
So the better question is not only “which grade?” but “what kind of challenge do they need next?” We use grade to narrow options, then place by how a child organises ideas, reasons, listens and responds. A Grade 3 child, for example, might belong in Junior Speakers, PSD I or PSD II depending on readiness — which is why we do not assign a level from the timetable alone.
No. Many students start with little or no formal debate background.
What matters more than a past trophy is whether the child can, at their level, form an idea, support it, listen and take feedback. Fluent talkers without structure usually do better starting one level lower and moving up quickly than starting high and coasting.
If your child has school debate, tournaments or coaching elsewhere, bring that to the placement assessment — it helps us place them accurately. If they have none, that is normal for the entry levels.
Weekly PSD classes are the core pathway. Students train once a week at a level matched to their grade and readiness — from first-time speakers through to advanced competitive work.
Debate spars are optional extra coached rounds for eligible PSD II+ students (and Capstone competition entrants). They add full rounds and immediate feedback on top of the regular class.
Official Teams A and B are Capstone’s selected competitive squads. They follow a separate route from ordinary class placement:
We encourage PSD III students to try selections. Other students may also enter and use the process to show they are ready for a more competitive pathway.
Enrolment & logistics
After you have browsed the programs and thought about a likely fit, book a free 15-minute one-to-one placement assessment (online or in person). A debate teacher works with your child, recommends a level and explains why.
Book a free placement assessment →
Please include a working email and phone number so we can reach you. Once you contact us, Student Services follows up with registration, schedule options and any admin steps.
Centres
When you can schedule
Regular weekly classes are scheduled within these windows — you choose a slot that fits (classes do not run every hour by default):
Holiday intensives can run across a wider range of days and times.
For current center-specific options, see the brochures:
Causeway Bay brochure
·
Jordan brochure
Core commitment: one weekly lesson — usually 90 minutes (Junior Speakers, PSD I, PSD II). PSD III and Official Team training use longer (120-minute) sessions where applicable.
There is no mandatory homework. We sometimes recommend reading or prep, and Official Team members contribute to a shared debate community case file. Because students receive written feedback every week on their speeches, they are expected to use that feedback in later lessons — that is the main out-of-class expectation.
Optional extras (spars, intensives, competitions) add time only when you choose them.
Classes are capped at a maximum of 8 students so every child speaks and gets attention.
A typical lesson is either skill-focused or content-focused:
Students get written feedback each week on their speeches, and coaches work with them to apply it over the term.
Make-up class (preferred)
If a student misses a class, they may make up in another class that week that teaches the same lesson, when a make-up seat is available. That session covers the same skill and content as the missed class, so learning stays aligned.
Clearing class
If they cannot make up in that window, they may be offered a clearing class at another time. Clearing classes support the students who attend that session, so the skill and content focus may differ from the original missed lesson. They still keep the student engaged and progressing, but they are not a perfect one-to-one content match the way a same-week make-up is.
Approach & formats
We develop students toward strong World Schools (WSDC) debating — WSDC is the largest and best-known school-level world championship format — and we also work with British Parliamentary (BP) from time to time.
Younger and newer debaters do not jump straight into full WSDC length. They start with short speeches, then build toward about 5 minutes, then 7–8 minutes, in a modified 3 vs 3 structure designed to grow into full WSDC competence.
From PSD II onward, we expect more from:
Classes are taught in English. Students do not need to be native speakers, but they need enough English to follow discussion and give speeches at their level.
At placement we also look at structure, depth of reasoning, speech length and overall presentation quality — not only fluency.
Progress is measured against the skills of their level: clearer structure, stronger reasons, better listening and clash work, more control of time and delivery, and applying weekly written feedback from one speech to the next.
Parents can schedule parent–teacher meetings (online, in person or by phone) to discuss progress and next steps. At the start, parents can also book an introductory call about the course and its scope, and share their own goals; the instructor aims to meet those alongside the course objectives.
Parents & communication
We welcome parents reaching out early rather than waiting until a term ends.
Competitions & selection
We aim to send talented students to strong competitions worldwide, both in person and online. We select and recommend events that fit the student, and each month we email competition recommendations so families can sign up based on interest and readiness. When a family wants to enter, we help set them up for those events.
Weekly class enrolment does not force tournament entry; competition is something we open up when it fits.
Official Team selection is a different route from ordinary class placement.
Twice a year — Spring Selections and Fall Selections — Capstone runs debates and matter tests for Official Team entry. Coaches collectively assess how students performed in those selections (their speeches and results in that process) and place students on Team A or Team B.
We encourage PSD III students to try selections. Other students may also enter and use the process to show they are ready for a more competitive pathway.
Across published Capstone tournament records, students have reached:
Recent highlights include Capstone students as:
Coaching
Capstone’s debate teachers include international competitors, national-team coaches and senior adjudicators at major championships. They bring that experience into every lesson through practical teaching and individual feedback.
Still deciding?
The free 15-minute placement assessment is one-to-one with your child and can take place online or in person.
