Inspiring Stories

摘要

Inside in a North London English classroom, a small group of teenagers have stayed behind after school. But this is not a detention; these students are the participants of the 2009 First Story programme, and have been meeting to take part in weekly creative writing workshops led by award-winning short story writer Helen Simpson. First Story was set up in 2007 to support young people in 'challenging' secondary schools to develop their literacy, creativity, confidence and aspirations by engaging in creative writing under the guidance of an acclaimed author. Founded by teacher Katie Waldegrave and writer William Fiennes, the charity pays its authors to be writers-in-residence in state schools where more than 30% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and/or where less than 50% of students achieve five grades A*-C at GCSE. The programme is currently running in fourteen schools across London and Oxford, where it has improved student confidence and academic performance in English. It is supported by an advisory board which includes authors such as Mark Haddon and Zadie Smith.