Six students from Suffolk and Essex have been awarded prizes for their essays on learning as part of the Wolsey 550 celebrations in Ipswich
The Wolsey 550 essay competition invited pupils in Years 7 to 11 to write a 500 word essay inspired by Thomas Wolsey and his passion for education, with the title “Learning is an amusement and not a toil when…”. This is based on Wolsey’s quote: “Pleasure should mingle with study so that the child may think learning an amusement, rather than a toil.”
The winner of the competition was Rose Harrison, a Year 7 pupil from Trinity School. Her essay was described as “A beautiful essay, enthusiastic, detailed and well argued”, and concluded: “Education is not a chore or a toil, it is a gift. You must embrace it with open arms and explore its contents, for you’ll enjoy it and you’ll require it one day, whether that is today, tomorrow or any other day is not the point. Education aids you in your time of utmost need, education protects you and your many descendants—education even saves lives. It stops wars, it illustrates harmony. But, it is also hysterically amusing and satisfying.”
The runners-up were Jaden Jones, Year 10 from Gilberd School in second place, and Lilia Cook, Year 8 from Ipswich School in third place. Also commended were Calum Button, Year 9 from Ipswich School, Lex Roosenbeek, Year 8 from Gilberd School, and Dylan Nash, from Year 7 at The Trinity School.
The winners were invited to a special reception at Ipswich School last month, where Ipswich School Headmaster Nicholas Weaver explained more about Wolsey’s links with the school, and awarded the prizes. Jackson Crompton-Battersby, the school’s academic excellence co-ordinator who judged the essays, also read extracts from each of them to the audience of winners and their families.
Mr Weaver said: “We were delighted with the inspiring entries from students, who had clearly done considerable research to form the basis of their essays. They put together coherent and passionate responses to the question, and it was wonderful to hear about the power of education. I think Thomas Wolsey would have approved of their arguments, well done to them all.”
