John Locke Essay Competition - Research, Prepare, Review! for Gifted Students.

* NEW classes for 2025! Please get in touch *

Is your gifted child looking for a new challenge? 

This group class is for gifted and talented writers who need some guidance in helping to prepare their entry for the John Locke Essay Competition. (Please contact me if you would like to discuss if this class might be suitable for your learner.)

I aim for a mature, inclusive, Oxford-style tutorial feeling in my classes. Students are encouraged to research thoroughly, think courageously and debate bravely.

By the end of the course, you will have a fully-referenced, sparkling and engaging coherent essay ready to submit!

Week 1 (week beginning Monday 24th March) - What is the John Locke Essay Competition?  
Homework: (a) Choose your essay title from the list. (b) Initial research and ideas.

Week 2 - (week beginning Monday 31st March)  How do we conduct academic research? How do we compile a suitable reading list?
Homework: (a) Spend some time with your chosen question. Find FIVE articles/books/youtube videos you need. Which philosophers/experts are relevant in this field? (b) Once you have the reading list, start reading!  

Study week: (week beginning Monday 7th April) Read around your essay topic. Ensure that you have read as much as possible about the general topic. 

Week 3 - (week beginning Monday 15th April)  What is an essay? (What is a paragraph?) How does it differ from a more basic composition?
Homework: (a) Write out two for/two against for your essay. (b) Practise writing a really solid PEEL paragraph either related to your question, or on a completely different topic.


Week 4 - (week beginning Monday 21st April)   How do we structure and plan a coherent essay?
Homework:  (a) Create a super plan following the template. (b) Write a draft introduction.

Week 5 (week beginning Monday 28th April) Taking stock - Does our essay match up to our expectations so far? 
Homework: (a) Keep working through your reading list. (b) Write two paragraphs and read through them. 

Week 6 -  (week beginning Monday 5th May) How do we edit and review an essay?
Homework: (a) Keep working through your reading list. (b) Use the first/last technique to review and edit each paragraph

STUDY WEEK: (week beginning Monday 12th May) No live class this week. Write your essay. You should have a first draft by the end of this week. 

Week 7 – (week beginning Monday 19th May)  Formatting, footnotes and references
Homework: (a) Make sure that you have used references and endnotes appropriately throughout the essay. (b) Compile a bibliography. 

STUDY WEEK - (week beginning Monday 26th May) Finish your essay!

Week 8 – (week beginning 2nd June) Final check in!  Come along and be prepared to present and defend your essay, argument and findings. 
Homework: (a) Make any additional changes based on feedback from our live class. (b) Submit your essay! 

Students will write their essay independently, follow guidance from me about planning, researching, structuring and editing their work. 

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* NB - I'm happy to say that students enrolled in the group classes will also be able to avail of adhoc 1:1 classes at a discounted price!*

The John Locke Essay Competition is a fantastic opportunity for gifted young people to stretch their academic muscle and learn how to construct a create a coherent essay. Every year, the John Locke Institute release a series of essay titles on themes relating to each of seven subject categories - Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology and Law - which students can choose from. A winner is chosen from each of the subjects and there is also a grand prize winner.  There is also a separate prize awarded for the best essay in the junior category, for under 15s.

The John Locke Essay Competition is hugely prestigious and looks brilliant on university applications. I'm thrilled to be able to help students find out more about this great opportunity.