Each year, the Thomas Hardye School holds an engaging creative writing workshop for a large group of students from local first and middle schools. The event is organised by the librarian at Thomas Hardye on behalf of the Wessex MAT and brings together over 100 students to create a 500 word story to a set brief. This year, the story had to begin with ‘ I first noticed something was different…’ and include a worm and a canoe.

The children were split into small groups of three and accompanied by an A-Level student who would urge them to voice their ideas, whilst creating a fun and productive environment. The purpose of the initiative is to provide the children with the space to express their rich imagination and nurture their interest in writing. By bringing together students of different ages within the local area, the participants are able to challenge themselves and practise working cohesively with others, a quality that is important to possess throughout life as well as literature.

Events such as these workshops produce a range of educational and social benefits to the students involved. The younger children are inspired by the sixth formers that lead the groups, whilst they themselves can gain experience in a teaching role if they are considering a career as an educator.

Mrs. Stevens, the librarian at Thomas Hardye plays a vital role in arranging these workshops, acknowledges how the initiative is able to provide aspiring students with the opportunity to learn and express their creativity. She reveals that whilst the project “can accommodate only a small number of students, those who are involved always gain a lot from these mornings”. Twenty two stories were produced by the afternoon, which will soon be collated into a digital book which will be shared amongst the students and schools who took part.

Along with writing their collaborative stories, students are also able to elevate their written work by designing fun illustrations. The effectivity of these workshops is due to its celebration of expression and its positive effects are carried with them long after the morning is over. A teacher from Cheselbourne first school who attended, later noted how they had parents approach them “saying that the children loved it and talked about it a lot at home”.

Since its start in 2016, the Wessex Collaborative Writing Project offers students a chance to hone their creative writing skills in a fun group setting. Every child that takes part in the initiative doesn’t just take away an incredible story, they are also given the inspiration to pursue their love for literature