Horsham pupil wins Oxford University essay competition

Andrew McLeod, who is a year 12 pupil at Christ’s Hospital School, penned the winning entry for the philosophy category in the St John’s College Classics and Ancient History Essay Competition, beating off stiff competition nationwide.

Andrew’s essay was singled out unanimously by all the judges as ‘an especially engagingly written and original essay that spoke to the reader with a distinctive voice’ and his prize is a £100 book token.

Simon Reid, headteacher at Christ’s Hospital was delighted to hear of Andrew’s success. He said: “Brilliant news and very impressive.”

The competition attracted almost 70 entries from all over the UK, answering questions across the four disciplines of literature, ancient history, art, and philosophy.

Andrew and other entrants to the philosophy category of this year’s competition were asked to tackle the following question: ‘Ancient philosophers who proposed radical theories had unrealistic expectations about what they might achieve’. Do you agree?

All of the competition entrants were invited to visit St John’s College at Oxford University for a study afternoon, which this year was due to take place on Thursday, April 23, but sadly, had to be cancelled due to coronavirus.

The St John’s Classics and Ancient History Essay Competition celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, with over 800 students having taken part over the past ten years.

The competition is open to all UK students currently studying in year 12 or equivalent whether or not they are studying a classical or ancient subject, and gives students of any subjects an opportunity to write an essay on the classical world.

The organisers are interested in providing an occasion for independent research, to encourage curiosity and reflection in those who have studied the ancient world before and those who have not.

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