Creative Writing

Our poet-in-residence, Frances Leviston, delivered workshops, masterclasses and her annual creative writing competition online this year.

The award-winning poet, whose first novel was published this year, returned via Microsoft Teams to teach creative writing approaches to each class in Years 7 to 10, as well as to Lower Sixth English Literature A level students. For Year 11, Frances recorded a lecture about Keats’ Ode on Melancholy – one of their GCSE poems.

In her lessons, Frances focused on how to find the inspiration for both poems and stories. Despite a few technical hiccups, the classes were as positive and enthusiastic as ever. Frances received many entries for her creative writing competition and decided on the following winners, who will each receive £20 Daunt Books vouchers:

• Year 7 Poetry Winner: Ellie, ‘I see red’; Story Winner: Anya, ‘Panic’
• Year 8 Poetry Winners: Rosie Rae, ‘Out the window…’ and Chiara, ‘Railway’; Story Winners: Lara, ‘My Role’ and Chiara, ‘Doors’
• Year 9 Poetry Winner: Hinal, ‘On a Dragon’; Story Winner: Natasha, ‘Simple?’
• Year 10 Poetry Winner: Lily, ‘Young John’; Story Winner: Mae, ‘Riptide’
• Sixth Form Poetry Winner: Penelope, ‘Cultural Exchanges’