David Miliband chairs final of Debate Mate school debating championship - in pictures

David Miliband poses for a photograph with some of the finallists in the Debate Mate cup. Over the past 16 weeks 1700 pupils aged from 11-15 have taken part in the inter-school debating championship. Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

The Debate Mate 2011 finals took place at the Royal Institution Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

Reece Weaver was the first speaker on the Robert Clack team. Weaver said that debating has given him confidence and analytical skills. "From debating I got confidence, the ability to get up in front of a couple of hundred people" and "the ability to analyse things, analyse points and problems." Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

David Miliband takes comments from the floor at the Debate Mate finals. Miliband is currently teaching A-level government and politics at his old school in Camden. He became aware of Debate Mate when he met the debating team at his school. Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

Kristine Lauriaga from St Angela's Ursuline school presents the case for the team opposing the motion: “This House believes that children should have a legal obligation to support their parents in their old age.” Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

Diellza Nishori from Robert Clack school sums up for the team proposing the motion. Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

David Miliband poses for a photograph with some of the Debate Mate finalists. Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

Shaun Bailey talks to pupils. Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

A member of the audience challenges the speaker. Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

Three members of the Robert Clack team listen to an opposition speech. Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

Members of the St Angela's Ursuline team listen to the motion being proposed. Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

Kelvin Anim from the Robert Clack team challenges a speaker from St Angela's Ursuline. Anim told the Guardian that debating had taught him the importance of considering both sides in an argument. He said: "What debate allows you to do is to pick apart a point and identify biases so that in the end after all of this the views that you hold and what you stand for is better because of it." Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate

The team from St Angela's Ursuline proudly hold the 2011 Debate Mate cup Photograph: Annabel Moeller/Debate Mate