Lingfield Scholars Share Passion, Insight, and Academic Excellence

Parents, students and staff were welcomed to our annual Symposium with an inspiring address from board governor Julian Greenfield. He spoke passionately about the importance of giving back and the lifelong value of intellectual exploration. His words set the tone for an evening filled with thought-provoking presentations and impressive academic insight.

As part of the Academic Scholars' Programme, students in Years 7–10 undertake an independent research project, culminating in a 2,000-word essay, artefact, or Project Qualification. The Symposium offers shortlisted students the opportunity to present their work to an audience of staff, parents, and peers, explain their chosen topics, and respond to questions, all while being assessed against the rigorous AQA EPQ criteria.

This year's projects covered a diverse range of timely and fascinating topics, including:

• Could we reintroduce red squirrels to suitable areas of the UK?
• Should we be sceptical about the rise of neurodiversity?
• Does playing sport improve young people's mental health?
• Is ULEZ an unjust tax?

Miss Baker, Academic Scholars Lead, praised the calibre of work presented:

"I have been truly impressed by the brilliance, dedication, and insight demonstrated by this year's Academic Scholars – their essays, artefacts, and Project Qualifications have been of an excellent standard."

Mrs Hubbard, who leads the Scholars’ Programme, expressed her admiration as well:

"Working with such an exceptional group of young people is a genuine privilege. I am continuously astonished by their passion, intelligence, and intellectual curiosity, which shine through in everything they do. The standard of work on display at last night's Scholars' Symposium was truly outstanding, and I couldn't be prouder of every one of them, particularly those who presented their projects with such confidence, insight, and maturity."

Students also reflected on the experience:

"I found the Project Qualification fascinating as I took a deep dive into a subject I love well and truly. This helped me improve my essay writing skills." – Ethan Year 8.

"The Project Qualification has taught me new skills like communication and report writing. Learning about my topic and how different people had different perspectives was very interesting. Overall, everything was a very nice learning experience." – Saanvi Year 8.

Congratulations to all our shortlisted scholars for their exceptional projects:

Year 7

• Daniel – Can gender equality in professional football be achieved?
• Hector – How can computers learn to play games?

Year 8

• Euan – Egg incubator project (Artefact)
• Emily – Could we reintroduce red squirrels into suitable areas of the UK? (PQ)
• Amelia – Is it ethically correct to bring back the woolly mammoth from extinction? (PQ)

Year 9

• Oscar – Is there a seeming increase in the number of people being diagnosed with neurodiversity, and are there any reasons to be sceptical about this?
• Tom – Is ULEZ an unjust tax?

Year 10

• Aryan – Can addressing barriers to HPV vaccination significantly improve public health outcomes within a measurable timeframe? (PQ)
• Adi – Was the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam truly a grand environmental success or a grand man-made disaster? (PQ)
• Rufus – Is there a perfect bridge design? (Artefact)

A huge congratulations to our 2024–25 Academic Scholars Essay Prize Winners:

• Year 7: Hector 
• Year 8: Amelia 
• Year 9: Tom 
• Year 10: Adi 
• Overall Prize Winner: Euan 

We are incredibly proud of all our scholars for their hard work, creativity, and academic excellence. The future is bright with such brilliant minds leading the way.