‘Migration’ the theme as Upper Sixth’s Jack takes honours in Chichele Essay Prize 2023

Jack Percival (WH5) is the winner of this year’s Chichele Essay Prize.

Named after Henry Chichele (1363-1443), Archbishop of Canterbury and Founder of All Souls College Oxford, the prestigious prize was established more than 50 years ago by John Sparrow, Warden of Souls between 1952 and 1977 and a member of the Skinners’ Company.

Each year, the School invites a selection of Upper Sixth boys to sit the Chichele Essay during the Summer Term. The competition takes the traditional form of an essay written in exam conditions, with a one-word title not disclosed in advance.

The All Souls Examiner, appointed annually by the Governors, visits Tonbridge to comment on the essays submitted, to announce the winner and to take part in the celebration of Skinners’ Day.

This year’s All Souls Examiner was the writer Andy Mulligan, with the chosen title being ‘Migration’.

Formerly a theatre director and teacher, Mr Mulligan is now best known as a writer of young adult fiction, winning The Guardian Children’s Fiction prize as well as being shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal. He also writes radio plays and screenplays.

The winner was announced in a ceremony at the School, attended by the Headmaster, parents, staff and Governors, on Friday (30 June).

Mr Mulligan described Jack’s essay as a “masterclass in reflection and clarity”, adding that his writing was “enormously engaging”.

“The essay was a very stimulating piece, with a huge amount of opinion and information crammed very dextrously into four pages,” he said. “Jack worked with a scalpel as he turned over politics and philosophy, and I found his thesis fascinating.”

All entrants earned praise for their essays, with special mentions for “particularly stimulating” work by Alexander Beverton-Smith (Sc5), Henry Collins (FH5), Charlie Lockhart (HS5), Konstantin Mamkhegov (PH5), Zach Hudson (SH5), Louis Mok (PS5), Andrew Sergeef (FH5) and Frederick Ogilvie (HS5).

Jack’s winning essay can be read via the link, as can the Examiner’s Report on the competition.