TWO schoolgirls argued their way to the top and have become England’s best debaters.

Cheney schoolgirls Sarah Vickers and Lydia Day defeated 350 contenders from schools across the country to win the English Speaking Union’s (ESU) School Mace last month.

The pair travelled to the ESU’s headquarters in London, where they beat 12 other semi-finalists.

Then the triumphant pair went to the International Mace Finals on Saturday (11/04), which was held in Cork, Ireland.

There they represented England against schools from Scotland, Wales and Ireland – but were pipped to the post by their foes from north of the border.

Iffley Fields resident Sarah Vickers said: “It was really nerve-racking waiting for the first result, I was shocked when we won.”

The dynamic duo, both 18, argued for the motion: “The history curriculum in English schools should focus primarily on events and issues of world importance, rather than the UK and its past.”

Headington resident Lydia Day said: “Sarah and I are good friends and we’ve been debating for years.

“I think that it’s important to be good friends when you’re debating.

“We’ve been doing it for so long that we don’t really need to communicate out loud, I already know what she’s going to say.”

A-Level student Lydia has been offered a place to study English at Jesus College, Cambridge, next year.

She said: “We had a really great time, it was nice because they had a university final as well.”

The group joined forces in Year 9 when they were approached by their history teacher, and head of the school’s debating society, David Gimson.

The 48-year-old began the society when he joined the school 11 years ago.

He said: “Sarah and Lydia have been doing this a long time and have gone to a lot of competitions, which is hard when you’re starting out as invariably you’re more likely to lose. But since then they’ve persevered, got better and I’m very pleased they did so well at the national and international finals.”

At Cheney School, members of the debating club have previously won the Cambridge Union debating competition – in 2009.

Members of the club can take advantage of training provided by the school from members of Oxford University.

Miss Day plans to continue debating at university.

She said: “Debating is really useful as it helps you argue your point and construct an argument a lot better.”

Sarah, who plans on going to Manchester University in 2016 to study Chemistry, may put her debating skills to use in a future career in politics.

She said: “I have thought about getting into politics or advising in politics.

“I think it’s a really important skill to have.”

Sarah plans to travel to China during her year off to improve her fluency in the language.