At Kimbolton, being an Academic Scholar is about far more than exam results or being “good at school”. It is about how you think, how you question the world around you, and how you grow into an independent, confident and intellectually curious young person.
This spring, we are delighted to launch The Ideas Lab — our Academic Scholarship Programme — which is designed to bring deep thinking and critical evaluation to life.
A community of thinkers
Through the Ideas Lab, Kimbolton’s Academic Scholars will be part of a vibrant community that collectively embraces challenge and excellence. They are pupils who consistently demonstrate curiosity, intellectual promise and resilience. The Ideas Lab creates a shared space for those pupils to think deeply together across subjects and year groups. Scholars are tasked with exploring ideas beyond the syllabus, learning how knowledge is built, tested, debated and refined.
Thinking skills for life
The programme blends teacher-led sessions with personal intellectual challenges, focusing on skills that sit at the heart of genuine scholarship:
- Asking precise, ambitious questions
- Evaluating evidence and spotting bias
- Thinking carefully before reaching conclusions
- Collaborating with others to solve complex problems
- Communicating ideas clearly, confidently and respectfully.
From analysing real-world claims to debating ethical dilemmas, scholars are encouraged to stretch their thinking and develop intellectual independence.
Beyond the classroom
Crucially, The Ideas Lab is not about passively receiving information. Scholars are expected to do something with their thinking — to test ideas, defend them under challenge, adapt when faced with new evidence, and reflect on how their thinking evolves.
The programme culminates in an Academic Showcase, created and presented by the scholars themselves just after the Easter break. This is a celebration not only of what they have learned, but of how they have learned — a chance to articulate their thinking, question one another and share ideas with confidence.
Excellence in thought and character
Kimbolton scholarships are rooted in the ancient philosophy of arete – excellence in thought and character. We seek to support our scholars intellectually but also prepare them so that they can become brave, resilient and engaging global citizens who think critically and carefully about the world beyond school. The Ideas Lab reflects our belief that the best education does not simply provide answers, but teaches young people to ask the right questions.
Mr Oliver Chipperton – Assistant Head (Teaching)
