Academic Scholarship

At this week’s inaugural Scholars’ Dinner, we celebrated the works of our Lower Sixth Academic Scholars.

In the study of the Sixth Form Oakwood building, Director of Sixth Form, Mr Waller, hosted an evening for our current Lower Sixth Scholars.

Over a spectacular three-course dinner, a number of the scholars delivered short speeches summarising the research for their essays for the first edition of Beacon, our new Academic Scholars’ Journal. Inspired by the school motto, ‘Mehr Licht!’ –  the dying words of German poet and polymath, Goethe –  the theme of the first issue of Beacon was light.

Illuminating works within the journal cover a diverse range of topics, from the Dark Ages and global dimming, to bacterial bioluminescence and the aurora borealis, as well as the symbolism of light in art and literature.  On the front cover of the first edition is a pinhole camera image, created by Year 9 pupils Lydia and Annalise at ‘An Introduction to Photography’, one of our many timetabled Mehr Licht academic enrichment options.

Deputy Head Girl and Academic Captain, Ella Dane-Liebesny, who edited Beacon, said of the scholars’ essays: “They all capture the essence of the spirit of South Hampstead – shedding ‘more light’ on the issues at hand, and paving the way to a future that I believe will be far brighter by virtue of these students being part of it.” 

Academic Scholarships are awarded based on performance in the entrance/scholarship examination – open to all pupils – the year prior to joining the Sixth Form. However, scholarship is not restricted to the scholars. Student-run essay competitions, the Upper Sixth Speaker Series, the Lower Sixth Great Ideas Lecture Series and our ‘Mehr Licht’ academic enrichment sessions are just some of the many initiatives designed to foster the intellectual curiosity of every South Hampstead pupil.