Essay Prize Winners

Inaugural Spivey Prize Essay

This term, a new opportunity for academic enrichment was launched at Caterham. The Spivey Prize Essay, named in honour of the distinguished classical scholar and Old Caterhamian Dr Nigel Spivey, invited any willing members of the Sixth Form to subject themselves to an unseen 90-minute general essay, the title taken from the classical corpus.

In total 41 pupils elected to enter and were presented with a blank Word document and the choice of two questions: “All bad precedents originate from measures good in themselves (Sallust). Discuss.” or “Not to know what happened before you were born is to be forever a child (Cicero). Discuss.”

Of the 41 essays, which approached the questions from a remarkable variety of angles, seven were shortlisted and sent to Cambridge for Dr Spivey himself to judge. In a very close-run race, our Head Girl, Lottie won the day and became the augural victrix of this exciting and demanding new competition.

To read Lottie’s essay Lottie Spivey 2019

Mathew Owen

Senior Enrichment Tutor