After completing their year-long preparation course – much of it in under remote learning – the 2020 scholar selection process has finally come to an end. From the eight candidates, four were chosen to join St Paul’s School in the next academic year.
In the second half of last year, the candidates commenced their preparation with a six-month English immersion course, receiving tuition at St Paul’s and at Cultura Inglesa. Then from February until early June, they have been ‘coming to school’ for St Paul’s Masterclasses online, led by volunteer teachers. Some subjects were completely new, such as Global Perspectives, whilst the familiar ones were presented in a whole new way.
The candidates have demonstrated incredible commitment throughout the whole year and impressed both the St. Paul’s teachers and the FSP staff. It was abundantly clear that all eight were wanting to get the most out their preparation not only because they wanted to join St. Paul’s as scholars, but because they wanted to become better students and more conscious citizens.
Virtual prep course
The foundation adopted a 100% remote learning from late March – including all tests. But the candidates’ dedication to the course didn’t waver when we had to move the lessons to the virtual environment. On the contrary, they engaged in more lessons and asked for extra activities to improve their knowledge.
After nearly 100 hours of preparation sessions, plus interviews with the family members and psychological assessments, the foundation team, alongside the St. Paul’s Head and the volunteer teachers, proposed that four of the candidates become scholars to join in forms 4 and 5. In early June, the St. Paul’s Foundation board accepted this proposal in its entirety. “All eight of the candidates were amazing and so the selection process was particularly tough this year. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donor community the foundation could afford to accept all the proposed candidates, doubling its 2019 scholar intake and thus becoming the biggest family in the school” says James Wilkinson, Chair at Fundação St. Paul’s.
The foundation informed their supporters and sponsors about the new scholars in an online “Foundation Family Thank You” event on 9th June, in which Louise Simpson announced the new scholars. Mr Titus Edge, as the new head, made a guest appearance from Scotland and committed to supporting and growing the scholarship programme when he arrives in August.