English-Speaking Union Scotland

The English-Speaking Union Scotland (ESU Scotland) is an educational Scottish charity whose purpose, shared with the English-Speaking Union internationally, is to promote international understanding and human achievements through the widening use of the English language throughout the world.

ESU Scotland is based in Edinburgh and retains close links with the ESU's international headquarters at Dartmouth House in Mayfair, London.

The mission statement for ESU Scotland is to:

In many circles the ESU is best known for its major educational activity, the promotion of debate as an educational tool. ESU Scotland runs the ESU Scotland Juniors' tournament, which in the 2008/9 school year received 130 entries from 84 schools.

Former winners include Newcastle Royal Grammar School, Kirkcudbright Academy, Grove Academy and Dollar Academy. Only George Heriot's School and Kirkcudbright Academy have won the Juniors on more than one occasion.

ESU Scotland also administers the Scottish legs of the ESU Schools Mace, the ESU Public Speaking Competition and the John Smith Memorial Mace (named after the former Labour leader and winner of the competition who died in 1994).

ESU Scotland also teaches debate through Outreach Programmes, teacher training and the provision of resources. It was commissioned to write comprehensive learning resources by the Scottish Executive in 2006. These can be found at [1]. In 2008, ESU Scotland was awarded follow-up funding to expand and promote these materials.

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