English Department

All things English...

Writing Workshops

Girls in Years 8 and 9 were inspired by poet Mandy Coe’s workshops. Throughout, she focused on how pupils feel about themselves and the strength of being a young woman. Her writing tasks were designed to encourage pupils to start writing and she was really pleased with the girls’ focus and enthusiasm, and in particular with the many creative ideas that were generated.

Open Mic Night

Pupils shared a stage with poet and playwright Caroline Bird at this year’s Open Mic Night. 27 pupils performed, showcasing a marvellous selection of work from the Journal Classes, the Creative Writing Group, the National Poetry Day Competition, and the Creative Writing Retreat.

Award Winning Writer

Congratulations to Year 11 pupil Emily Graham, whose short story ‘Bolton’ has been awarded first place in The Portico Sadie Massey Award for Young Writers. The piece is about Emily’s hometown, exciting events in her life and how they link to her feelings about the place. It will now be published in a special book, Time Travellers and the Crystal Dome, alongside other winning entries and stories by children’s authors.

Writing Retreat

Courtship

She doesn’t Blink. He doesn’t Breath. The house creaks a snore. Home after a day at the beach. He confesses his love She tilts. Night air sinks into her Legs. Shoulders. Stomach. Her bikini, pink. He wears blue, Then brown, Then blue Then white. He has no jacket to offer She has nothing to say. They stay Beneath the porch light. Ellen Bate 11C

These three poems were written during the Creative Writing Retreat to Patterdale Hall during the February half term. 18 pupils were inspired by the beauty of the Lake District and enjoyed opportunities to write on board a boat as they crossed Lake Ullswater, at Wordsworth’s cottage, and overlooking woodland waterfalls. Daily workshops and one to one tutorials were led by two accomplished mentors: Dr Peter Sansom, poet, and Tobias Jones, crime writer and journalist. Everyone left feeling that their writing and confidence progressed significantly through the week.

In the Proximity of H2O and Sodium Phosphate

The ball of plasma which the earth orbits is set. The structures of beaks and feathers have stopped hunting their gilled prey. The disturbance of the atmosphere has dispersed. The elements in the air have stopped being compressed by the sun. The undulations of H20 and Sodium Phosphate have settled. The distant red-shift nuclear fusionators are glistening. A single structure immune to sinking, propels forward moving using air resistance. Oh! What a beautiful stage of the diurnal cycle, to spectate the salt water that covers most of the earth.

Typewriters

I see you there. Clouded in a mist of mystery. I miss you more than you know. It hasn’t been the same. I’m 13 now. You walk with happiness. Like you always did. Your memory stings my eyes when I remember you, I feel tears well up. You smell of ink and oil. From the typewriters you fixed. And your waist coat unchanged. I miss you. You’re taller than I remember. Your rhythmic footsteps. Like the tapping of typewriter keys. Sophie Hann 9S

Poets’ Corner

Captain Lockhart’s Goodbye Will

Ahoy me matees! This is me goodbye. O how time flies; I need to keep thinking, but my poor ship is sinking. O what shall I do? If I never make it out of here, I just want to make it clear, that if I die I want to give me house to me grandson, Barney. Me treasure, me food, me loot, me diamond encrusted boots, they’re sinking after me ship got shot. Me crew are running around; to think I’m in charge of this crazy lot! I’ll pray and pray; just someone save me soul. Goodbye me friends. This is the end; I’ll soon be meeting the Lord. A message sent from the pirate Captain James Lockhart Kiana Murray 7G

One of three winners of the School’s National Poetry Day Competition on the theme of Messages

Hunger Hill

Sit on a bike. Pink is best. With purple tassels on the handlebars. Ride the wavering, wobbling wheels on your way, plant your feet on the pebble paved path, take in the sloping elegance of your kingdom: Hunger Hill. You are five again, you are Queen again, your dominion belongs to you again. Square red houses join to square red garages and square red flowerpots sit on square red window sills. Taste the air. So far untainted by the smoke of dragons and Ford Fiestas. Lift your feet off the ground now, steady there, don’t fall, you’re soaring down the hillside; it’s like you never left at all.

Eloise Booth Y12-F2

Selected as the Year 10-13 winner at Open Mic Night by Caroline Bird

Invitation from a Horse

Gallop along, Live among the hey and nays, smell

our lovely horse muck, listen to the trots

of our hooves,

have the ride of your lives up on our backs cantering away in the wind, wear the earth like a glove in the sudden

breeze,

close your eyes wrap yourself in darkness, come and see what you’re missing. Charlotte Jones 7B

Chosen by Caroline Bird as the Year 7-9 winner at Open Mic Night