Poetry & Creative Writing

The English Department has been buzzing with activity throughout this term. In January, we hosted Dr Anna Beer of Oxford University who delivered a fascinating talk to our A level pupils and their counterparts at Sherborne Girls on her latest book Eve Bites Back: An Alternative History of English Literature. Over the course of an hour, Dr Beer introduced the boys to the female contemporaries of some of literature’s most famous male writers, exploring the obstacles they had to overcome and how their works survived. 

Less than a week later the Fifth Form were off to Bristol to attend GCSE Poetry Live, a day of Q and A sessions and readings by some of the finest modern poets including Carol Anne Duffy and Simon Armitage, although it was John Agard who garnered the most applause for his spirited rendition of Checking Out Me History. 

Flickr album: Creative Writing Workshop | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin

After Half Term there was no slowing the department down. We hosted Theresa Lola, the 2019 Young People’s Laureate for London, who delivered a fantastic creative writing workshop with the Third Form, where boys wrote their own poetry on the theme of Identity. As part of this day, the boys also attended a brilliant drama workshop delivered by our Head of Drama, Mrs Clayton. At lunchtime Theresa led a special edition of Cecil Soc, exploring vernacular in poetry. 

We will be ending the term on a high with a lecture for the Sixth Form by History of Art teacher, Mr Pomichal, on Gothic art. 

Harriet Cant, Head of English