Pupils set to thrive as writers come to college

The college is one of just nine schools across England taking part in a major national research project directed and managed by the National Association of Writers in Education, NAWE, an organisation that puts writers into school.

Last year Felpham Community College was selected from 70 applicants to be one of the schools lucky enough to be involved in the important initiative and as a place where writers an pupils could thrive.

This term pupils will be working with their fourth writer Brian Moses whose publications include Taking out the Tigers, The Secret Life of Teachers and Aliens Stole my Underpants.

During the course of the past academic year, pupils have had the chance to work with a poet, a scriptwriter and a novelist.

Over the next two years, this same group of pupils will work with sports writers or science writers, environmentalists or food writers, with the school working closely with the writer to find a perfect match for both the professional writer and the demands of the national curriculum.

English teacher Nicky Narburgh said that pupils have responsed to the challenge with great enthusiasm and the school's English department is delighted to have been invited to take part in the new venture.

'The students have really enjoyed the whole experience and have embraced it whole heartedly.'

With the great success of the first academic year plans for the next two years of the project are set to be just as exciting and challenging with its findings contributing to a significant piece of educational research, looking closely at the impact that working with profession writers has for schools.