National History Day success

Congratulations to Andrew (Sc3), who recently took part in the National History Day® (NHD) competition and was awarded second place in the international division.

This is an impressive achievement as this annual competition extends its reach to half a million Senior School students across the globe, of which Andrew was the only UK entrant.  This year’s students were challenged to respond to the theme, Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History, to coincide with the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Andrew’s project, “The Tragedy of Good Intentions: how a misunderstood reaction sparked the French Revolution” explored how attempts at reform and the Crown’s failure to respond to public concerns contributed to the outbreak of revolution. Reflecting on his approach, Andrew said, “Initially, I planned to write a standard overview of the revolution’s causes… but examining the theme more closely led me to rethink how I understood 1789 and to challenge the idea that the Revolution was inevitable.”

Head of History, Noah Hillyard, said, “Andrew’s achievement is hugely impressive and a testament to his dedication and commitment to history. His essay demonstrated sophisticated analysis of a range of primary and secondary sources, reaching a convincing and nuanced judgement.”

A key part of the project was the requirement to use primary sources. Andrew described this as “the most rewarding academic experience in my life” and that the original documents were both informative and influential in shaping his argument. In addition to his academic work, Andrew is an active member of the History Department and recently introduced the International History Bee and Bowl competition to the School.

He will now prepare for the final stage of the competition in Washington, where he plans to refine his work further.