Context

The Writing Squads were established in 1999 as a joint initiative between the LEA, the Library Service and ACADEMI with the aim of nurturing the talent and enthusiasm of promising young writers in both Welsh and English.

Aims & principles

Primary Squad pupils are recruited in Year 5, initially through school recommendation and then followed up by a visit from Eileen Jones, (Schools Adviser - Literacy), to meet nominated pupils. There are 10 places available each year for new Year 5 ’squaddies’ and Eileen has to make some difficult decisions as to who is invited to join the Squad out of the 35 - 55 nominations she receives. She explains her criteria as, those who are, "enthusiastic and committed young writers who enjoy writing in their own time as well as in school."

Currently there are Writing Squads for both Primary and Secondary pupils; the Primary Squad is for Year 5 & 6 pupils and the Secondary Squad is for Years 7, 8 and 9. Primary pupils have the opportunity to transfer automatically to the Secondary Squad at the end of Year 6 if they wish to do so.

Summary

To nurture the talent and enthusiasm of promising writers in both Welsh and English.

For pupils to work alongside published authors in order to develop their writing talent.

To offer pupils the opportunity to have their own writing published through national competitions.

In Practice

Phase 1

Writing Squad pupils and students meet for one day each term, within school time, to work with a published author or poet. During the past three years visiting authors have included Jenny Sullivan, Malachy Doyle, Julia Jarman, Adele Geras, Alan Gibbons, Helena Pielichaty, Gerard Benson, Nick Manns, Linda Newberry and Catherine McPhail. The Squads meet in libraries, under the guidance of Bethan Hughes the Children’s Librarian, and work alongside a range the authors who all demonstrate that there is no one way to be a writer.

Phase 2

Pupils also have the opportunity to send their work to the writer or Eileen for comment, the work is then published and shared at each Squad meeting. Pupils are also kept informed about other opportunities for publication of their work, including writing competitions. Squad pupils have been successful in a number of writing competitions as demonstrated in the outcomes section, below.

Partnerships

Denbighshire Education Authority

Library Service

ACADEMIE

Outcomes

Francesca Reece (Yr 9), a member of the English-language Secondary Writing squad won a BBC Creative Writing competition and her evocative winning poem follows:

Lady Winter’s Cloak

Winter is a mask of ice,
That slips onto Earth
Like a glove to a hand.

It is a photograph of the sun.
So far gone, yet piercing the sky
Like a knife through water.

It’s the orchestra of hisses
For the opera in the hearth,
The hot cross bun and tea
In from the dark. By Francesca Reece

Nia Shaw, a Y7 pupil and member of the Secondary Squad, also won first prize in a National creative writing competition, on the theme of ’New Europe’. An extract from her winning entry follows:

Weather changeable

Bruise-purple clouds,
Breathing into the black-treacle-like Atlantic.
Hovering like dead souls,
On their long journey towards the land.

Pupils’ views

"The Writing Squad gives you confidence in your writing and gives you a chance to write stories with a wide imagination. You meet a range of different authors who write in different genres. It’s a great chance to meet new people, especially if you meet people you’ll be going to High school with." Annie

"I like going to Writing Squad because I love getting to meet authors- and poets as well. I enjoy doing stories and poems in my spare time, so doing Squad is really fun." Thomas

"I like meeting different people and learning new ways of writing. My favourite authors were Catherine McPhail and Cliff McNish. It’s also good to meet other people who are interested in writing and reading." Nia

Resources

Corbett, P. (2001) How to Teach Fiction Writing at Key Stage 2, Oxford: Fulton Publishers Ltd

Goodwyn, A. (2002) Improving Literacy at KS2 and KS3 London: Sage Publishing

Palmer, S. & Corbett, S. (2003) Literacy: what works?: What Works? Kingston: Nelson Thornes Ltd.

Visit an example of how an LEA is using the BFI’s Starting Stories film clips to promote writing through film and Digital blue cameras.

Contacts

For more information on Writing Squads, contact Eileen Jones, (School Adviser - Literacy)

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