Lower Sixth United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation Essay 2023

Lower Sixth United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation Essay 2023

Lower Sixth students from the five Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation Schools: Queen Anne’s School, Emanuel School, Sutton Valence School, Grey Coat Hospital and Westminster City School were invited to write and submit an independent, self-directed piece of research (a subject of their choice) culminating in a 2500-word essay.  An involvement in this essay competition encouraged students to engage in the following:

• Practical preparation for the kinds of A Level research in the Sixth Form.
• An opportunity for them to engage in an in-depth study of a topic of interest within a chosen subject.
• Formulating an appropriate research question.
• Engaging in a personal exploration of the topic.
• Communicating ideas.
• Developing an argument.

Participation in this process enabled the students to develop the capacity to, analyse, synthesize and evaluate knowledge.

Results

1. McTaggart, Change and the Unreality of Time – Yi Shan (Queen Annes’s School).
2. To What Extent are Current Marine Protected Areas (MAPs) an Effective Measure to Conserve Marine Ecosystems – Alice  (Queen Anne’s School).
3. How Warfare Diminishes a Women’s Place in Society: The Comprehensive Analysis – Jenin (Westminster City School).
4. To What Extent has the United Kingdom’s National Disability Strategy been Successful? – Marie (Queen Anne’s School).
5. A War Waged in Tablets and Vials: How Rural America was Sacrificed at the Alter of Pharmaceutical Profit – Clara (Emanuel School).
6. The Role of Finance in Meeting Climate-Related Targets set in the COP21 Paris Agreement – Freya Doyle (Emanuel School).

The six students have successfully demonstrated an excellent management of skills such as independent thinking, hypothesising, reasoning, analysing, persuading, discussion and more.

Special thanks go to Rhian Douglas, Director of Governance and Operations - United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation for her time and effort in making this event happen.  A huge thanks goes to Dr Andrew Hines - Lecturer, World Philosophies, SOAS, University of London and Dr Lorenzo Pasculli - Principal Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the UCL Dawes Centre for Future Crime, University College London for their final marking and assessment of the essays.

Finally, a massive congratulations to Marie, Alice, and Yi Shan.

Mark Richards

Senior Deputy Head – Queen Anne’s School

December 2023