The Westminster School competition is an exciting opportunity for school pupils studying in Years 9-11 in the 2022-23 academic year, to demonstrate their ability to think across academic disciplines, and to draw upon the tools of learning they have developed, in order to respond to complex ethical, technical and scientific contemporary challenges.

Designed to encourage originality of thought, entrants can choose from one of four essay titles:

1. ‘Artificial Intelligence represents the greatest step forward in responding to the current civilizational challenges.’ Discuss
2. ‘Science alone cannot solve the climate crisis’. Discuss
3. ‘The internet and instant communication technologies are profoundly changing our world for the better.’ Do you agree?
4. ‘How might the tools of literature better help to equip us to face the challenges of the modern age?’.

Essays should be a maximum of 1,500 words (excluding footnotes and references). Images and graphs can be used to support an argument.

• Entries should be submitted to horizons@westminster.org.uk by Tuesday 31 January 2023.
• Entrants should give their full name and the name of their school when submitting essays.
• Prize-winners will be announced on Tuesday 28 February 2023.

The prizes are: £100 in book tokens for the first prize, £50 in book tokens for the second prize, and £25 in book tokens for two highly commended essays.

Prizes will be presented at Westminster School’s Horizons Conference on Tuesday 14 March 2023, to which six additional commended essay entrants will be invited. The Horizons Conference is an annual event, in its second year, which gives pupils the chance to connect with leading academics through a series of thought-provoking and interactive talks.

You can learn more about Westminster Horizons Programme and Conference here:

• Horizons Lectures Delivering the Cutting Edge
• The first ever Horizon’s Conference