The SES has run two parallel essay prizes since 2023, one aimed at secondary school pupils and the other at university undergraduates. The winners receive a £50 National Book Token and have their work published on the SES blog.
Each year we recruit an expert panel of judges, giving students the opportunity to have their work read by senior figures in Scottish politics, including current and former politicians, journalists and academics. Previous judges have included Prof. Sir John Curtice, former Scottish Labour Leader Prof. Kezia Dugdale, former Scottish Conservative Leader Baroness Ruth Davidson and Scottish Sun Political Editor Conor Matchett.
Previous Winners
Secondary Schools
2024 – Daniel Woolridge, Mackie Academy
2023 – Finlay McIlwraith, North Berwick High School and Alexa Marshall, The High School of Glasgow
Universities
2024 – Alice Arthur, University of Edinburgh
2023 – Elliot Wortley, University of Edinburgh
Deadline
The prize submission deadline is typically just after the exam period at the end of the academic and school year. The next deadline will be announced in Spring 2025.
Essay Guidelines
Secondary Schools
1,500 words maximum discussing Scottish politics. This includes voting, elections and referendums, political parties or democratic reform.
Universities
3,000 words maximum analysing voting in Scotland, the UK as a whole or its other nations and territories. This includes Westminster, devolved or local elections or referendums. The essay must make use of data derived from the Scottish Election Study, the Welsh Election Study, the Northern Ireland Assembly Election Study, the British Election Study, the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey or a similar source of information about public opinion.