First Story Book Launch

On 14 July, we held our First Story Book Launch.

First Story is a creative writing charity which provides a year-long enrichment provision for a core group of pupils in the form of weekly, extra-curricular workshops, as well as opportunities for the whole school to take part in a variety of events and competitions.

Every Monday from October to March, our core group of Year 10 and Year 12 pupils worked with our writer-in-residence, Ashley Hickson-Lovence (author of The 392 and Your Show), to produce a collection which speaks to their experiences as young people growing up in and around Hackney. The anthology, Written from the Art, has been officially published and there will even be a copy available in the British Library!

The book launch involved some readings of our pupils’ work, refreshments, and a chance to hear from Ashley Hickson-Lovence. It was a real celebration of their achievements over the course of the year.

As you can imagine, the pupils involved have worked incredibly hard and we are exceptionally proud of all who took part. They are a hugely talented group and their anthology is worthy of a place on any bookshelf.