Trio of Sixth Formers Highly Commended in Cambridge University Essay Competition

This term, three Sixth Year pupils, Alice G, Mustafa F and Athena T were invited to attend the Homerton College Sustainability Student Conference.

This was as a result of being accepted onto the prestigious Cambridge University Homerton College Essay Programme towards the end of last session and their subsequent essays being Highly Commended. 

Aimed at pupils in Senior 5 in Scotland, this pan-UK Essay Programme is intended to equip participants with key skills that are considered highly desirable by university admissions tutors such as critical reading, research design and essay writing. It is cross-curricular and multidisciplinary and engages with the annual theme of 'Building a Sustainable and Healthy World'. 

Hear from Athena, Alice and Mustafa below about their experience of the Programme and the advice they’d give to pupils considering taking part in the future... 

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Athena

“The Homerton Essay Programme has not only developed our essay writing but also our knowledge on non-fiction writing itself. Through educational webinars we were taught crucial concepts in academic writing such as how to cite sources at a university standard and how to write notes efficiently so as to assist our learning. At its core, the programme taught us the power of essay writing, the power of morphing and contorting familiarised structural techniques to create a product that is uniquely your own. 

Beyond this, the lectures we had the privilege of attending at the Homerton Sustainability Conference were incredibly interesting. One of these lectures: ‘Bright New World’ by Cindy Forde on her most recent novel, taught us how colonialism is directly linked to environmental issues and how the exploitation of civilians is almost inherent to climate destruction. All of these webinars pushed our understanding and perspective and allowed us to understand the nuance involved with environmental issues and what we can do as both a nation and as individuals to force change. Fundamentally, the Homerton programme allowed us the opportunity to challenge our thinking, to articulate these developed beliefs and improve our critical thinking, as well as our writing abilities. 

I wrote my essay on how to convince an individual that climate change is real. This prompt challenged me to look within myself and those around me to question what it truly takes to convince someone, and whether it's possible to promote action separate to an individual’s ideological beliefs. As well as this, I linked these concepts to the philosophy of 'punk', looking at how militant action, though unpopular, is often crucial in forcing a societal spotlight on what you advocate for, and how this is crucial for change to be made in an increasingly distracted modern age. Trying to connect two seemingly unrelated concepts tested my essay writing capabilities as I was forced to ensure all I included was not only relevant but entertaining and engaging. These factors resulted in my writing abilities reaching new heights, with any accolades received on this writing being indicative of the unbelievably high standard of the course we had the opportunity to attend. 

I would recommend this programme to not only anyone interested in essay writing, but to any curious individual, anyone who wants to learn about the world we live in, anyone who wants to make a difference.” 

Mustafa

“The Homerton College essay programme goes far beyond simply learning how to write essays. My essay on making cities greener opened the door to a wealth of knowledge about sustainability and urban development. I learned about the importance of green spaces, denser housing and eco-friendly infrastructure. Knowledge of such concepts is vital for anyone no matter the career they wish to pursue. I would wholeheartedly recommend this programme to all, as being able to express yourself effectively is a helpful skill in every profession.” 

Alice

“Taking part in the Homerton essay competition was a thoroughly valuable experience for all of us. It allowed us to gain an insight into writing academic essays: improving our style, arguments and structure by joining a series of webinars given by students and professionals who have a lot of knowledge on this process. In this respect, we would recommend anyone applying to university to participate in such programmes, as it gave us a taste of the type of work that we will be expected to undertake at university. There were also informational webinars that provided a fresh perspective into fascinating climate issues. 

The questions themselves covered a broad selection of topics, allowing participants to explore what most suited their interests. They ranged from examinations of equality within climate change prevention to the logistics of engineering a green city. At the heart of the competition was the universality of environmental problems as a shared burden.  

We were subsequently invited to a sustainability conference at Homerton College, Cambridge. It was most interesting to hear how different fields were affected by the environment from leading experts. The professors' expertise and passion brought these complex topics to life with figures, theories and, most importantly, innovative solutions. 

We were delighted to have had this opportunity; it has definitely inspired us to notice the sustainability efforts across the globe deeply and understand their absolute necessity. 

I wrote my essay on environmental justice and its prevalence in achieving the aims of the climate movement. It broadened my horizons by introducing me to a range of influential scholars that fought for equal environmental protection. Finding how to search for and apply existing theories changed the way I approach essay writing as I learned to express my own personal interpretations of current research.” 

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Mrs Natalie Lawther, Head of Careers and Teacher of English, said:

The Homerton College Essay Programme is a significant undertaking for pupils moving from Fifth into Sixth Year. While the Careers Department highlighted the opportunity to the pupils, they themselves applied for the programme, and they themselves gave up time during their summer to engage in the subject-specific and skills-based webinars, testament to their commitment to academics. Receiving a highly commended for their essays is further evidence of the academic ambition and aptitudes of Alice, Athena and Mustafa. We are immensely proud of them.” 

The High School of Glasgow is hosting Open Events this term, the Junior School & Kindergarten Open Event takes places from Tuesday 1 October to Friday 4 October, with the Senior School on Monday 4 November at 7pm. For more information and to secure your place, please click here.