The only word I can think of is ELEVENSES but cannot make much sense of the clue. ELEVES is the French word for pupils over ENS.
Can you fathom it out ?
Hi Francis. I thought elevenses, but couldn't figure out the relationship between the clue and the possible answer. I think you may well be right. Thanks for your help.
I have just realised that I have some wrong letters in this one and having corrected that error find that the answer is essayists! Thank you Francis and Sammy and sorry for leading you up the garden path!