Scholarships

This term has been another exciting one for the Mill Hill Scholarship Programme. After last year’s successful launch of the Scholarship Symposium, this now established fixture in the academic calendar returned on 28 November. The academic scholarship community gathered to explore the theme of consumerism, a topic that coincidentally fell on Black Friday, when many of our pupils were no doubt contemplating which bargains to snap up!

This year’s workshops were of an exceptionally high standard, led by our talented Upper Sixth alongside senior and departmental staff. Highlights included Mr Hamshaw’s, Head of the 1729 Maths School, session on the mathematical theory behind compound interest, an insightful exploration of ‘Why We Buy?’ from an Anthropological and Psychological perspective by Edie W and Rhona U, and Mr Clayton’s, Deputy Head of Sixth Form, hugely popular workshop on how streaming services are reshaping scriptwriting.

We were delighted to welcome Old Millhillian and Financial Times journalist Alex Irwin-Hunt back to school to deliver this year’s keynote lecture. His talk explored the economics behind global supply chains, offering invaluable insight into how the commodities we purchase ultimately reach the shelves.

Across the school, departments have continued to devise innovative ways for scholars to engage with their subjects. In our effort to foster collaboration between disciplines, the Art and Drama departments set the standard: art scholars produced a striking installation for the lower school production of ‘A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime’ inspired by the show’s themes of neurodiversity.

Meanwhile, our Fourth Form humanities scholars embarked on the first of what we hope will become a series of ‘Scholars’ Walks’. Drawing on London’s rich cultural heritage, they carried out research projects on Hampstead and Highgate, creating profiles of notable residents such as Charles de Gaulle and T. S. Eliot, uncovering lesser-known figures like cartoonist George du Maurier, and composing original poems and stories in the Romantic tradition of Keats. To share their work, scholars put on their walking boots and yomped across the Heath, presenting their projects to enthusiastic peers and parents who joined us for the occasion. Expect more collaborative ventures like these as the programme continues to grow.

Looking ahead to the Spring term, there is still plenty to be excited about, not least the range of departmental and whole-school publications yet to be published. As ever, we look forward to seeing the outstanding work our talented scholars will produce.