We are delighted to share that a team of nine pupils from George Heriot’s School were crowned winners of the Ethics Cup at the University of Edinburgh.

The Ethics Cup is a national debating competition that challenges pupils to think critically, collaborate effectively, and engage thoughtfully with complex moral questions. Rather than arguing simply to “win”, teams are judged on the quality of their reasoning, their ability to listen and respond respectfully, and how well they explore different sides of difficult ethical issues.

This year’s topics included:
• The ethics of drug pricing
• Whole life sentences for criminals
• Genetic engineering
• Lowering the voting age
• A&E admissions and healthcare prioritisation

Competing against schools from across Scotland, Heriot’s pupils demonstrated exceptional teamwork, insight and integrity — winning all three preliminary rounds, their semi-final, and the final to take the title.

We are incredibly proud of the maturity, intellectual curiosity and compassion they showed throughout the competition. A fantastic achievement and a wonderful example of Heriot’s values in action.

Congratulations to Kiran, Jacob, Sam, Isla, Kirsten, Hannah, Amelie and Milly.