The Quotation Bank

The Quotation Bank Essay Prize 2025/26 for Yr 11 and Yr 12

In collaboration with University College, Oxford.

The Quotation Bank Essay Prize, in collaboration with University College, Oxford, is now in its second year and is an opportunity for Year 11 and Year 12 students to explore their own literary interests and to articulate their own critical views and opinions away from the boundaries of a school curriculum.

We are looking for a pupil’s own personal responses and engagement with a text; whilst critical material can be used in their essay, we are interested in what pupils as readers have to say about their chosen text, and how the text has shaped their own ideas and opinions.

This prize has grown out of The Quotation Bank’s focus on its aim of supporting pupils with their study of English, be it at school or at university, and in particular supporting pupils in their pursuit of the subject beyond what is studied in the classroom.

Entry

There are two age categories for this essay prize – current Year 11 students and current Year 12 students.
In each age category there will be a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awarded.
Entries must be received by January 23rd, 2026, sent to: contact@thequotationbank.co.uk.

The Essay Questions

This year, all three questions focus on a quotation taken from the preface of Elizabeth Gaskell's Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life, a text that explores the realities of life.

Select any one question and produce an essay of between 1500 to 2500 words in answer to the question.

Your answer should focus on one text you have read (poetry, prose or drama) that is not on your GCSE or A-Level syllabus, and that you are not using for coursework.
Your answer should focus closely on the ideas in the prompt quotation, and be a detailed exploration of your text choice to reinforce your own critical views.
We are interested in your own personal views, so your answer should not include help from a teacher or any use of AI at any point.

Questions:

a) “Three years ago I became anxious (from circumstances that need not be more fully alluded to) to employ myself in writing a work of fiction.”

With a detailed focus on any text you have read, explore the relationship between the writer and the reader.

b) “Living in Manchester, but with a deep relish and fond admiration for the country, my first thought was to find a frame-work for my story in some rural scene.”

With a detailed focus on any text you have read, explore the importance of setting.

c) “I have tried to write truthfully; and if my accounts agree or clash with any system, the agreement or disagreement is unintentional.”

With a detailed focus on any text you have read, how far do you think literature should present a truthful reality of the world around us?

The Prize

The prize for this essay competition is designed to support pupils in their continued study of English for as long as a pupil wants that support to continue.

Although there will be a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awarded, all three recipients in each age category will receive the prizes below:

A The Quotation Bank Awards Day on Friday 13th March 2026, hosted by University College, Oxford, for all 1st, 2nd and 3rd place pupils in both age categories, and an accompanying parent/carer. During the day winners will:

Attend a celebratory awards event in Univ Hall, including The Quotation Bank prizegiving and afternoon tea.

Receive a tour of University College, including the Library and the Shelley Memorial.

Meet with staff and students from the college to gain a better understanding of what it is like to study English and other subjects at Oxford.

Visit the Bodleian Library, and more.

A University Application Mentorship from The Quotation Bank support team.

Each winner will receive support, guidance and mentorship throughout the rest of their school career in their pursuit of university study, including help with personal statements, choosing the right university and course for them, and with exploring wider subject support. They will be allocated a mentor from The Quotation Bank team who will support and guide them at key points during the year/s. This does not necessarily need to be for English at university (although we would love it if it was!)

A complete set of The Quotation Bank Study and Revision Guides for their school.

A years' free subscription to The Quotation Bank: Exam Revision App

Entries

Entries should be submitted electronically in Word format to contact@thequotationbank.co.uk.

They should include: candidate name; candidate email address; school name; English teacher name; and English teacher email address. It should also include a declaration that no AI was used at any point in the planning or writing of the essay.

Who are The Quotation Bank?

The Quotation Bank, a family-run company founded entirely by teachers, began as a series of GCSE and A-Level English Literature study and revision guides focused on texts across the English curriculum. That range of GCSE and A-Level guides has grown to 24 titles, and we now also provide in-school study workshops; online tuition classes; free revision resources; and much, much more, all in the pursuit of building a passion for the subject and supporting pupils and schools with their study of English Language and Literature. For more information, visit www.thequotationbank.co.uk.

With many thanks to University College, Oxford.

https://www.univ.ox.ac.uk

The Quotation Bank Essay Prize - 2025 winners announced!

Last year's winners were announced....

The winners of the first annual The Quotation Bank English Essay Prize, in partnership with University College, Oxford, were announced!

The winners were incredibly impressive, and the panel were blown away by the quality of their essays, and the field as a whole. It was a joy to read such a wide variety of ideas, interpretations and explorations on some many wonderful texts, and we are proud to announce the winners below:

Year 12 Essay Prize Winners:

1st Place:

Zach Rogers - Wilson's School, for his essay on Moby Dick.

2nd Place:

Charlotte Jory - St George's, Weybridge, for her essay on La Casa de Bernarda Alba.

3rd Place:

Hannah Mole - Berkhamstead, for her essay on All My Sons.

Year 11 Essay Prize Winners:

1st Place:

Evie Webster - St Anne’s Catholic School & Sixth Form College, for her essay on Raybearer.

2nd Place:

Rebecca Cross - Stamford School, for her essay on Wuthering Heights.

3rd Place:

Charlotte McDonnell - Eltham Hill, for her essay on Lover Girl.

Highly Commended:

Maya Waris - Stratford Girls Grammar School, for her essay on Babel.

We had an amazing day meeting the pupils at the Awards Day at Univ in March, and working with them over the coming years as part of The Quotation Bank's mentor programme.