Julia Wood Prize

Forest pupil awarded commendation in prestigious Julia Wood Prize.

William Telling (Year 13) has been awarded a commendation from the Principal and Fellows of St Hugh’s College Oxford in the Julia Wood Essay Competition.

Established in 1971, in memory of a St Hugh’s College historian, the Julia Wood Prize is an annual History essay competition open to Sixth Form pupils who have not been in the sixth form of any school or college for a period of more than two years.

Mr Key, Head of History, had this to say about Will’s achievement:

‘Will has produced a stunning essay which was rightly awarded a commendation in the prestigious Julia Wood Prize. This is a serious test of scholarship and is fiercely contested by outstanding Sixth Form historians across the country. Will’s title: ‘In what ways were the British Government accountable for the managed depopulation and disenfranchisement of Arabs from Palestine by 1949?’ deals with a controversial subject matter in a complex geopolitical context. We are proud that students, like Will, at Forest feel empowered to challenge the monolithic narratives of British history that have for so long shaped perceptions and have often obfuscated our nation’s complicity in objectionable historical events. This is a timely essay given the renewed call for communities to take a stand against abuses of power and authority across the globe, and Will has made his voice heard in a scholarly, robust and unequivocal way. This well-deserved achievement will undoubtedly be a string in Will’s bow as he applies to read History at some of the most competitive universities in the country.