STUDENTS from Malvern's Chase high school were narrowly beaten in the national final of the Institute of Ideas & Pfizer Debating Matters Competition - the toughest debating championship in the country.

The Chase debaters lost out to a school from Hertfordshire in a debate on the notion Man Not Machines Should Explore Space. Team member Natasha Partos received an individual award for her persistently insightful challenges to debaters and expert speakers.

Her teammate, Susanna Williford, received an honourable mention.

The final was held from Friday, June 30, to Sunday, July 2, at the Wellcome Trust and Goodenough College in central London.

Natasha posed tough questions from the floor throughout the weekend and displayed a breadth and depth of knowledge of all topics debated. The judges recognised her contribution by giving her the commended award, one out of just three individual prizes on offer. The judges' motivation was that she was "consistent and always brought the debate back to the point".

Natasha said: `Preparing for these debates is incredibly daunting, particularly all the scientific information you are asked to take on and discuss, but somehow it all filters through.

"The fear of every young person is of being shown up, but that fear is completely redundant here at this competition.

"The point is to join in the debate and be prepared to be criticised and cross-examined. Initially that was terrifying, now I wouldn't have it any other way - my ideas are too important to be kept quiet."

After a stunning performance by Susanna and her team mate Suzanne Green, panel judge Timandra Harkness, a freelance science communicator, said: "Throughout the debate I just kept thinking `We can't judge this - they're too good'.

"I saw a high standard of debate that exhibited the ability to look at life's issues from all angles."

Only eight out of 115 schools made it through to the national final, so the Chase was certainly up against some tough competition.