Year 7-9 Essay Competition 2020

Mr Yates – Head of Academic Extension & Oxbridge

All students in Y7-Y9 are invited to attempt any one of the three questions below. Answers must not be more than 1,200 words (including any footnotes but excluding bibliographies). Answers should be submitted as Word attachments by email to sy@gsal.org.uk by no later than 4.00pm on Wednesday 12^th February. Students should refer to and consider the assessment criteria below when planning, writing and proof-reading their responses. SY

The Questions

Q1) Statutory law in England and Wales defines theft as the dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another with intention to permanently deprive the other of it (Theft Act, 1968). “Freegans” take goods that appear abandoned without paying for them. Should “freegans” be prosecuted for theft?

Q2) Those convicted of serious crimes might be imprisoned. One consequence of imprisonment is the deprivation of liberty. What is main purpose of imprisonment and why might this change from time to time or place to place?

Q3) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. Arguably, with rights should come responsibilities. In the 21^st Century is there a case for a Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities, and if so what should these be?

Assessment Criteria

• identification of and engagement with the issues raised by the question;
• critical analysis and evaluation of ideas;
• clarity of written expression;
• explanation of reasoning in a clear and logical way;
• presentation of a coherent, well-structured and balanced argument.

Guidance on marks awarded:

10 =  Exceptional

9 = Very strong

8 = Strong overall

5-7 = Strong in parts

4 = Weak overall

1-3 = Very weak