Scholarship Programme
WELCOME
At Chigwell, we pride ourselves on giving young people the space to thrive; we consider this space crucial to fulfilling our objectives – namely to promote in all Chigwellians creativity, ingenuity and independent thought.
We value academic excellence but realise that excellence is not exclusively academic. Hence, we have put in place a wide ranging Scholars’ programme that we believe delivers the space and opportunity for our students to excel.
SCHOLARS IN SENIOR SCHOOL (AGE 1 1-16)
At Chigwell, we recognize the paramount importance of nurturing intellectual curiosity, and to ensure this, we have an experienced Head of Scholarship overseeing the provision of educational opportunities for our inquisitive minds.
What sets our approach apart is not just the range of supra-curricular provision on offer but the personalized attention given to our scholars through mentoring sessions with senior members of staff, such as our Head, Deputy Head Academic, Head of Oxbridge and Head of Scholarship.
These small group meetings not only emphasise the significance of the students’ achievements but also highlight our commitment to fostering a supportive environment where every scholar is acknowledged and encouraged to reach their fullest potential. In this way, our school is not just a place of learning, but a community where each pupil is seen to be receiving the attention they deserve on their academic journey.
All scholars, irrespective of the type of award they receive, join a High Achievers’ Programme on arrival.
The promotion of oracy skills and wider reading underscore these sessions enabling the students to develop their skills in presentation, debate, discussion and critical thinking.
We expect our scholars to be actively involved in their own enrichment, taking full advantage of the numerous opportunities that take place outside of the classroom.
“The quality of the pupils’ personal development is excellent”
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE, 2023
EXTRA-CURRICULAR OPP ORT UNITIES
Several extra-curricular opportunities are offered that nurture excellence in the spoken and written word such as:
THE WILLIAMS PROJECT
The Williams Project, named after one of the most famous British philosophers, Sir Bernard Williams, Old Chigwellian (OC), is a speaker society open to all pupils. Scholars are actively encouraged to attend.
Recent speakers have included:
Sir David Pepper (OC 1959-1966), (former Director of GCHQ) on the effect of the internet on the work of the intelligence services
Tim Collin s (OC 1975-1982), (former MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Education) on political lobbying
Dr Charlie Laderman (OC 1994-2005) on American Power and the President
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Inter-house public speaking competitions run. It is anticipated that Scholars will participate and/ or attend these competitions in order to advance their powers of oracy and critical thinking.
In addition, all pupils are encouraged to seek opportunities to volunteer to speak publicly in house assemblies, church and chapel services.
DEBATING
From the Removes upwards, inter-house debating competitions run in six week cycles from the start of the academic year. Scholars are encouraged to attend all debates in order to hone their rhetorical skill.
In addition, there are myriad opportunities to get involved in external debating competitions such as the Oxford and Cambridge Competitions in addition to the Rotary Youth Speaks Competition and the International Young Debating Competition.
Chigwell regularly fields a competitive team at the Model United Nations (MUN) competition supported by the Head of Government and Politics.
ESSAY COMPETITIONS AND PROJECT QUALIFICATIONS
Foundation Project Qualification (FPQ), Higher Project Qualification (HPQ), and Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ) are available to all pupils and Scholars are strongly encouraged to participate in these independent project qualifications.
In addition, open to the Sixth Form is the Howard and Mitchell Essay Prize Competition. Further details can be obtained from the Assistant Head of Sixth Form.
Students entering Year 8 and Year 12 have the opportunity to undertake a ‘Summer Project’ – a less formal independent research project which does not necessarily mean submitting an essay but provides students with the opportunity to show their creativity in presenting original and independent research.
THE PILOT
The Pilot is an academic editorial which publishes scholarly articles and artwork created by Chigwellians within and beyond the curriculum.
READING CHAMPIONS
Reading Champions is an elite readers mentoring scheme in which Scholars in Years 10 and above buddy elite readers in Years 7 and 8. In keeping with our belief in the power of a vertical pastoral system that champions role models and extends and enriches all, small literature circles meet weekly to share reading and spark discussion.
HIGH ACHIEVER CHAMPIONS
Scholars in Years 11, 12 and 13 are encouraged to volunteer as High Achiever Champions in which they support the Head of Scholarship in mentoring younger pupils on the programme. This initiative facilitates reciprocal dialogue in wide ranging independent reading and research in addition to helping develop the soft skills of listening to and motivating younger pupils.
“The quality of pupils’ academic and other achievements is excellent.”
INDEPENDENT
SCHOOLS
INSPECTORATE, 2023
SUPRA-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES
All departments are fully committed to extending and enriching students beyond the remit of the curriculum. The following provides an overview of some of the ways in which our teaching staff nurture excellence. These opportunities are largely open to all Chigwellians but students in receipt of an academic scholarship are actively encouraged to participate and their engagement is closely monitored by their academic mentor.
ART
At Key Stage 3, art students are encouraged to attend Art+ workshops where visiting artists and designers work with pupils to enhance their skills. Art+ workshops take place on a Saturday.
Regular trips to London’s many art galleries enable the department to nurture the interests of our students, a highlight at GCSE and A Level being the Saatchi exhibitions that celebrate the work of young people.
Throughout the key stages, all students have the opportunity to both exhibit their own work in the school gallery and access exhibitions by visiting artists and designers hosted by the school.
At A Level, the department enters the ARTiculation competition, an initiative offered by the Saatchi Gallery in conjunction with the University of Cambridge. In recent years, Chigwellians have excelled in this competition, making it to the National Finals.
For the most engaged and committed young artists, the department runs a Scholars’ session on a weekly basis where students are mentored by the department and enabled to pursue interests beyond the curriculum.
COMPUTER SCIENCE
At Key Stage 3, we nurture a love of computer science through our Python Club and, as the students enter Years 10 and 11, they have the opportunity to attend Robotics Society. At both GCSE and A Level, we engage with a Programming Mentoring Scheme.
Students who choose Computer Science at A Level and are committed to a university degree in a related subject are actively encouraged to sign up for the lectures series run by RI and British Computing Society (BCS) and the department also facilitates the accreditations offered by, for example, FutureLearn and DataCamp .
“Being given the opportunity to direct ‘Into The Woods’ for the School was one of the greatest moments of my life. That experience taught me so many things such as dedication, teamwork and patience - skills which I will take with me into the next chapter of my life.”
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
Students who demonstrate a specific aptitude for engineering and design are invited to participate in an supra-curricular project, typically a national competition such as the UK Youth Rocketry Challenge (UKROC) and Greenpower competitions.
DRAMA
Drama Scholarships are awarded at 16+ to students who have demonstrated excellence beyond the GCSE curriculum – indeed, it is not necessary for a student to have studied GCSE drama to be awarded such a scholarship. Drama Scholars are responsible for delivering a Scholars’ Play which they cast, direct and, sometimes, write.
ECONOMICS
Even though it is not currently offered as a GCSE option, the department engages the economists of the future by running an Economics Club for GCSE students. At A Level, the department actively encourages students to enter academic essay prizes which gives them the opportunity to research and respond to topics off syllabus both nurturing and demonstrating an authentic interest in the academic study of the subject. We expect all A Level Economists to engage with a wider reading programme and encourage those intent on a degree in Economics to engage with the FT Ambassador Programme.
ENGLISH
In order to promote a love of wider reading and engender the soft skills of managing discussion, the department runs a Reading Champions programme from Year 7 to 11 where avid reading role models from Years 10 and 11 run literature circles for students at Year 7, 8 and 9 with a reading age of above 15.
Literary Societies run by the Head of English operate on a weekly basis for Year 8/9 and for Year 10/11 which aim to introduce the students to more challenging reading materials including some critical theory.
In addition to making good use of our proximity to the West End, regular film screenings promote different readings of literature and students have access to the National Theatre live subscription. The Trinity Board Arts Awards in Bronze and Silver are run alongside a rigorous reading programme so that, in conjunction with the Art and Music departments, students of literature recognize the importance of the Arts and become Arts Ambassadors both within school and in the local community.
At A Level, a Year 12/13 Literary Society adopts a similar approach with a view to enriching our most able and giving them the intellectual freedom to pursue their own Arts ambitions in the Gold Arts Award. We encourage all students, but especially those attending literary society, to participate in at least one external competition (such as the Christopher Tower Poetry Competition, the Betty Haigh competition or those competitions run by Oxbridge colleges such as Robinson and Peterhouse, Cambridge).
The department oversees all of the school’s oracy activities from Festival of the Spoken Word to, inter alia, participation in the Oxford and Cambridge Schools Debating Competitions. Students who are interested in pursuing a career in professional writing gain inspiration from the opportunity to contribute to and edit submissions for either the Chigwell Chatter, the school’s student newspaper or The Pilot, an academic journal showcasing excellence across and beyond the curriculum.
“Pupils enjoy high levels of success not just in the classroom but also in the creative arts, music, drama and sport.”
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE, 2023
GEOGRAPHY
In Geography, we nurture interest in the world around our students with a Young Geographer of the Year competition in Year 7 and 8. All Year 8 students are given a copy of Tim Marshall’s Prisoners of Geography and Scholars with a particular interest in the subject are given extension booklets linked to the text which will guide them through chapters not covered in class.
At A Level, budding geographers are encouraged to enter the Fitzwilliam Land Economy Essay competition and avail themselves of the wider reading programme the department runs.
MATHEMATICS
As the students move up through the curriculum, they are encouraged to participate in the UKMT challenges (at junior, intermediate and senior level) in addition to various other national competitions such as Cipher Challenge, Bebras, Fantasy Stock Market, Hans Wodya, The Alan Turing Codebreaker and Ritangle.
Naturally, Oxbridge preparation focuses on STEP/MAT preparation where weekly meetings with the Head of M aths takes place fortnightly from January of Year 12 .
MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES
In addition to promoting participation in Linguistics Olympiad, the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) departments run a number of internal enrichment opportunities to enhance the skills and interests of students. An annual Festival of the Foreign Spoken Word competition is held in the Lent term.
Oxbridge preparation naturally focuses on MLAT throughout Year 12 with a move to mock interview practice in the Michaelmas of Year 13. Our most talented linguists are encouraged to enter the Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators.
MUSIC
In music, practical groups push pupil performance opportunities, such as:
• Chapel Choir
• Senior String Orchestra
• Symphonic Wind Band
• Big Band
We also encourage excellence by promoting external competitions such as:
• Stratford Music Festival
• Essex Young Musician Competition
The department is active in promoting performance opportunities in Cathedrals and colleges across the country and, in recent years, Barcelona and Malta. Our internal Young Musician of the Year Competition is a highlight in the school calendar.
SCIENCE
BIOLOGY
In Biology, we encourage wider reading from the start of the academic journey in Year 7; reading lists and a departmental subscription to magazines such as Olya facilitate this.
As the students move up through the senior school, they are encouraged to participate in the Biology Challenge Competition and, at A Level, the Biology Olympiad.
In order to help us support their university applications to read biological science related degrees, students are actively encouraged to avail themselves of the opportunities to attend talks at the Wellcome Trust and Royal Society of Biology in addition, of course, to become fully involved in the school’s own Biomedical Society.
For students in Years 11, 12 and 13 who specifically wish to pursue a Medic/Dentist/Vet pathway, the Head of Biology will interview each student individually to ascertain the level of their interest and ability. This is followed by small group mentoring sessions, medic café, and a ‘Reality check’ talk by a practising doctor.
CHEMISTRY
On an annual basis, Chigwellians are entered for competitions run by the Royal Society of Chemistry such as The Top of the Bench prize and the Chemistry Olympiad. Participation in the Chemistry Analyst competition in addition to attendance at the practical workshops run by Queen Mary University London enable the most enthusiastic chemists of the future to apply to university with confidence. Support with Higher Education applications, including mock interviews, is offered on a weekly basis from the beginning of Year 12
PHYSICS
Students are entered for Bronze, Silver and Gold CREST awards and have achieved considerable success in the Industrial Cadets scheme as well as the British Physics Olympiads.
Oxbridge preparation begins in earnest in the Lent term of Year 12 where fortnightly mentoring sessions take place within the department.
“Academic attainment is excellent, and pupils make excellent progress”
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE, 2023
SCHOLARS IN THE SIXTH FORM (AGE 16-18)
The Sixth Form team organises a programme of external speakers. Year 12 students have talks about Law and Medicine from experienced professionals during their first term. The ‘Meet the Future’ series sees recent leavers come back into school to pass on the value of their experience in the 5-10 years since leaving to current older students: in the last year these have included a research scientist and a broadcast journalist amongst others.
Societies run by Sixth Formers open to other year groups have included Journalism Society, LGBTQ+, Feminism Society, Creative Writing Society, Cultural Society and Japanese Cinema.
Our Head of Careers runs a degree apprenticeships group for Sixth Formers to familiarize them with the process of finding and applying for these and works one-to-one with those who proceed to an application. Recently Chigwellians have secured places on 18+ degree apprenticeship schemes at JP Morgan, UBS and Rolls Royce amongst other highly regarded organisations .
In recent years the Sixth Form team has supported successful non-UK university applications to universities including Sciences-Po in Paris, IE in Madrid, the University of Amsterdam and MIT in the US.
Tailored support is given to Sixth Form students applying to very selective UK universities. An Oxbridge Group meets weekly from January on in Year 12 to guide preparation for prospective applications to Oxford and Cambridge.
Subject-specific teacher supervisors are also allotted and meet separately with students to help with supercurricular development including reading, as well as preparation for aptitude tests and interviews.
Chigwell joins with Forest and Bancroft’s Schools in mock-interviewing and providing feedback on each other’s candidates.
Prospective applicants for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science (MDV) are supported by the Head of Biology, who meets regularly with them in her role as Head of MDV. She supervises their preparation and arranges interview practice as well as supporting their work towards the UCAT and BMAT exams.
There is a Law Group offered for Sixth Form students applying for undergraduate Law, run by the Head of Law Preparation, who arranges a day trip every year to the Old Bailey for them. She supports preparation for the LNAT examination.
For Sixth Formers taking BMAT and TSA aptitude tests, we arrange external online tutoring through Leading Education in September and October in the run-up to these.
High-achieving Sixth Formers are actively encouraged to enter external essay competitions, recent examples being the John Locke Institute prize, and Oxford and Cambridge colleges essay competitions.
