Our group of young writers worked really hard on this year’s theme of Hostile Environment and a total of 31 successful entries were received.

The project is aimed at creative writers and artists and encourages students from years nine to 11 to submit poetry, prose or artwork based on the theme. A selection of entries is chosen towards the end of the year to appear in a specially-published book.

Last year our academy had seven students whose work was in print, (some of them are pictured above) and we will let you know about this year when the list is revealed.

“Our students spent months working on the project, producing some excellent pieces, and we were delighted with the quality of them all,” said Mrs Callaghan, English teacher and champion for High Attaining Pupils (in the English department).

Run with Trinity College, Cambridge Literary Festival and non fee-paying schools, the project was started in 2019 and last year’s theme was Over the Border, which culminated in the published book.

“You’ll become part of a writing collective like no other, a collective that will act as a touchstone for readers interested in what your generation is doing, thinking and writing right now,” said the organisers.

Author Ali Smith set up the project when she joined Trinity College as its Senior Fellow Commoner in the Creative Arts and each year the entries are published online at https://thelitmus.trin.cam.ac.uk and a small number are chosen for the book.

This year’s entrants are Year 9’s Austeja P, Daniella K, Gabriela M, Jamie C, Lexi W, Patsie F, Renats S, Eva E, Eddi J, Robert W, Daisy R, Klaudia T, Eliasz P and Logan R. From Year 10: Jarred P, Brooke S, Brooke M, Ethan R, Goda K, Marcie S, Maya P, Miley B, Olivia N, Natalia L, Ruby S, Samuel D, Shauna DF, Maddie E, Markus S and Deborah A.