The power of the academic competition

Ever the trump card of Oxbridge and Ivy League candidates, the academic competition is seen by many students to be an unachievable goal. Why enter if I’m not going to win? Will it really add to my personal profile? How do I even go about entering? In the Economics Department at Kellett School we have been actively promoting academic competitions to all of our students, particularly in the Sixth Form, where independence is valued and non-directed study time is more available. Below I will be discussing some of the barriers, benefits and solutions we have encountered.

“Why enter if I’m not going to win?” What are the barriers to effective implementation?

More often than not, academic competitions have been the preserve of the more able and the more informed. Two key barriers have prevented students from taking part: the misconception that their level of ability determines whether they should get involved; and the general lack of information available to students about academic competitions. In this first section, we dig a little deeper to focus on the practices that have helped create and reinforce these barriers to fair and consistent access for all students.

1. Student perceptions

In an internal survey, prior to our interventions, we found that the vast majority of students joining us in Year 12 believed that: “academic competitions are for higher ability students”, and that “teachers are more likely to recommend academic competitions to students they perceive to be the most able”. Discussions with teachers and leaders at other international schools across Asia confirmed that these beliefs were often widely held among their students too.

The perception that academic competitions are for the most able, can lead students to self-select out of these opportunities and the many benefits they bring. Why would students enter competitions if they don’t think that they are academically able enough to succeed, or if they think teachers won’t be supportive of them if they are perceived as less able?

2. Information asymmetry

Further to the misconception that academic competitions are for the most able, asymmetric information and a general lack of awareness have created another gulf in opportunity. Academic competitions are generally hidden away on university websites or in email newsletters to teachers, creating a more general information failure. In addition, asymmetry of information can occur between students with and without university counsellors, tutors and teachers that are willing to promote competitions. Given these information failures, it is often only the most informed students who have benefitted from the opportunities these competitions can confer.

3. What does the research say?

Even if it were true that only the most able students would benefit from entering academic competitions, the identification of pupils requiring further challenge is incredibly difficult. Identification issues such as teacher bias and a lack of centralised record keeping in schools mean that many students requiring further challenge go underchallenged (Loft and Danechi, 2020). Research from The Sutton Trust advocates that “due to the difficulties in identifying highly able students, wherever possible, interventions to benefit the highly able should be available to all students” (Montacute, 2018).

This is particularly relevant in an international school setting where our students are often highly able and highly motivated. It is important that we “plan a curriculum that considers the needs of the most able pupils as part of the whole school profile, from intent, through implementation to impact.” (Howell and Ramsden, 2020) If students would benefit from the challenge provided by academic competitions we should be planning our curriculum to take this into account.

Whichever way we look at it, the research recommends that all students should be provided with information about academic competitions and encouraged to get involved.

“Will it really add to my personal profile?” Why advocate for academic competitions?

Academic competitions offer several key benefits for students by allowing them to:

1. Deepen understanding

Academic competitions allow students to learn more about their subjects and the real-world applications of the theoretical knowledge they are learning in the classroom. Thorough research of context is often required for students choosing to enter essay contests or present in front of an audience. Applying economic theory and relevant historical examples to contemporary issues helps students deepen their understanding of core theories and ideas.

2. Foster skills

Academic competitions are a fantastic way for students to practise and develop their essay writing, research, organisational, presentation and teamwork skills. These transferable skills are incredibly important for further study at university and for their future careers. They also improve students' confidence and ability to access the economics curriculum, further driving engagement with the subject.

3. Embrace learning

Academic competitions are a fantastic way for students to develop a love of economics as a subject. By researching topics in more depth and developing skills like critical thinking, students can improve confidence in the subject. Competitions also provide students with the opportunity to practise and apply theories learned in class to novel and engaging situations.

“How do I even go about entering?” How to improve access?

To improve equality of access to academic competitions in economics at Kellett we have focused on three areas:

1. Signposting opportunities

To help signpost opportunities for our students we have curated a chronological list of academic competitions. This includes opening dates, deadlines and a link to the competition website. Providing information in a clear and accessible way helps to reduce the information failure and asymmetries that existed previously.

2. Improving awareness

To help improve awareness we have advertised these academic competitions regularly in lessons. This involves posting competitions on Google Classroom when they open and then spending time looking through them with students in class. These opportunities are also advertised during form times and assemblies.

3. Offering support

When advertising these academic competitions in class, time is also provided for students to consider and share ideas relating to the questions posed. On the curated list of academic competitions there are designated points of contact should students have any questions. These staff volunteers provide a sounding board for ideas and can point students in the direction of relevant resources.

To conclude

At Kellett our aim is to engender “a love of learning and confidence for life”. By promoting academic competitions we have found that our students are more inspired by economics, more confident in engaging with external opportunities and more willing to stretch themselves beyond the curriculum. All the more reason to ensure that all students are given the opportunity to get involved!

ISN | Collins New Writers Competition article submission 

Howell, R., & Ramsden, H. (2020). Ofsted Reporting of Provision for the Most Able Pupils: Comparison of analyses of Ofsted reports published in June 2018 and June 2019. https://potentialplusuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Ofsted-Reporting-of-Provision-for-the-Most-Able-Pupils.pdf

Loft, P., & Danechi, S. (2020). Support for more able and talented children in schools.https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9065/CBP-9065.pdf

Montacute, R. (2018). Potential for Success: Fulfilling the promise of highly able students in secondary schools.https://www.suttontrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/PotentialForSuccess.pdf

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