By Ishita N, Year 10 Journalist Leader

The academic scholars at NHEHS were given the fantastic opportunity to research and write a paper on one of the most important scholars in history: Alcuin of York.

While upon first glance he may not seem significant or a very commonly heard of figure, his actions were pivotal to the progression of education during the 8th century and he played a leading role in the Carolingian Renaissance, the movement revitalising learning during the reign of Charlemagne. Working with fellow students across all year groups, we were given full access to the library’s vast collection of books and further resources provided by teachers and in our groups researched various aspects of Alcuin’s life, ranging from topics such as who Alcuin corresponded with across Europe to the impact of his actions on today’s society. Despite Alcuin’s high status and influence as a friend of Charlemagne and leader in the creation of Carolingian miniscule, the forefather of modern typefaces, one of the major challenges in our endeavour was finding information on him. As he was a figure from so long ago, there were few sources on the internet that were able to paint a detailed picture of who he was and the events of his life, forcing us to get creative and look beyond the screen and into various books detailing the era, along with academic papers.

While this was tough and unlike any research we have had to conduct before, it provided us with many new skills and pushed us out of our comfort zone, teaching us how to understand different sources and find information when the internet cannot help us. Being able to collaborate with others on this project has been thoroughly interesting and has brought to light for us the ever-enduring pursuit of knowledge throughout history.