This week we welcomed our Writer in Residence, Matt Dickinson to Tranby for another two day workshop where he inspired pupils throughout the Prep and Senior Schools.

Day one covered creative writing in a workshop for Year 7 and 8 pupils, looking at how to make a good piece of creative writing. Pupils wrote pieces using the prompts ‘I’m lost in a storm’ and ‘What I would miss most if I was on Everest’. Matt spoke to Prep assembly about Yetis and talked with pupils in the Senior Book Club about their writing and reading. Matt also did a session with GCSE PE students about mountaineering and altitude.

On day two, Matt did a creative writing session with Year 3 pupils, tying in with their work on the Amazon and rainforests. They wrote letters to the (imaginary) leader of an Amazon expedition explaining why they should be chosen to go on the expedition: their special skills, the animals they hoped to see etc. Year 6 pupils looked at how to add interest, suspense and excitement to their writing.

Thank you to the Friends of Tranby who are funding our Writer in Residence. The support is part of our plans to develop external input for our pupils. Matt will visit Tranby each term for this academic year.

Next week, Matt is travelling to Kathmandu and will be trekking to Everest base camp. We wish him the best of luck and look forward to receiving a recorded message from base camp!

COMPETITION TIME
Click on the video below to hear Matt launch the Senior School writing competition.