Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services

Category: Archived Events

  • Tower Hamlets Book Award 2014

    Tower Hamlets Book Award 2014

    shortlist2014Banner

    The 2014 Tower Hamlets Book Award Shortlist is:

    • David Almond – The Boy who Swam with Piranhas
    • David Almond – Mouse Bird Snake Wolf
    • Sita Brahmachari – Kite Spirit
    • Berlie Doherty – The Company of Ghosts
    • Gill Lewis – Moon Bear
    • Rob Lloyd Jones – Wild Boy
    • Chris Riddell – Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse
    • Dan Smith – My Friend the Enemy

    Download the Shortlist PowerPoint (revised 8/9/14)

    Cast your vote!

    • There can only be one winner for the award, and YOU get to decide! Votes will be counted at the finale on the 28th November and every pupil has their own individual vote for their favourite book.
    • You can download the Ballot Paper here, to bring to the finale or drop off at the library OR you can email me a tally of votes from your reading groups to jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk
    • If your group isn’t coming to the finale then votes must reach the library by Thursday 27th or they wont be counted (because we’ll all be at the finale having too much fun to be checking emails).

     

    Book Award timeline and suggested activities (After the award!)
    • Invite the winning author and/or the other shortlisted authors to your school
    • Encourage pupils to read and discuss the winning book if they haven’t already done so
    • Plan your next reading event!
    • Get thinking about the books that you think should be nominated for the 2015 Tower Hamlets Book Award – all books must have been published in paperback in 2014

     

    Bookmark Competition

    Thank you for all of the great artwork for the competition. We’ve chosen the winners and will make the final announcement at the award finale.

    The Prizes:

    • Pupils will be awarded a prize at the grand finale (if they can’t attend, the prize will be sent to their school).
    • Winning bookmarks will be printed next summer term and sent to schools as part of the 2015 Book Award.

    About the award:

    The Book Award is for pupils aged 10 to 13. The aim is to encourage children to read, to bring children together to enable debate and discussion about books and to encourage children to share the pleasure of reading.

    Because the award bridges primary and secondary schools, it encourages pupils from different phases to share in reading events and work together. Schools who have taken part in the award have found it to be highly beneficial in encouraging children to broaden their reading range and develop their literacy – not just in reading but also in speaking and listening, as a core part of any book award is discussion and debate.

    2014 shortlist poster
    Posters and postcards will be delivered in September
    Author websites
    [associated_posts]
  • KS3 & 4 Poetry Slam 2014

    KS3 & 4 Poetry Slam 2014

    slam14Banner2

    TH SLAM final flyer 2014The KS3 Poetry Slam 2014 finale took place today, Thursday 3rd July at Wilton’s Music Hall.  The event was the final showcase for Tower Hamlets participants from Swanlea, Sir John Cass, Stepney Green, Bow Boys, and Morpeth Secondary Schools.  Winners go on to participate in the Poetry Society’s national Slambassadors UK events.

    group2014
    All the performers at the close of the event
    [associated_posts]
  • I picked up a pen and started writing : Creative Writing Competition 2014

    I picked up a pen and started writing : Creative Writing Competition 2014

    IMG_0434The winners of the 2014 Creative Writing Competition have been chosen!

    Children and staff and their guests were entertained by author and libraries campaigner Alan Gibbons on the 17th June as the prizes for the 2014 creative writing competition were awarded for winners in six categories for poetry and short stories.

    Several winners read from their work, which will be published as an eBook in July – available here and on the Amazon marketplace. The next day Alan hosted exclusive creative writing workshops for the lucky winners.

    The Schools Library Service would like to thank Alan Gibbons for judging this year’s entries, Clifford Chance for hosting the prize-giving, and all of the teachers and librarians who encouraged the hudreds of pupils to write the amazing poems and stories that we recieved.

    Key Stage Two Short Story Winners
    1st    Cara Mila Protopopov    Hermitage Primary School
    2nd    Ruhina Khanam    John Scurr Primary School
    3rd    Naazihah Amin    Globe Primary School
    Commended    Sonny Bissessar    St Paul with St Luke Primary School
    Commended    Maariyah Ayman    Lansbury Lawrence Primary
    Commended    Zahirah Sultana    Cyril Jackson Primary School
    Commended    Libby Mashedi    Our Lady Primary School
    Commended     Tasfia Begum    Hague Primary School
    Commended    Ryan Hunter    Chisenhale Primary School
    Commended    Simone Enzo Macharia Ciavarro    Guardian Angels Primary School

    Key Stage Two Poetry Winners
        
    1st Work withdrawn
    2nd    Hope Wardley    St Edmunds Primary School
    3rd    Mia Fay Fischer    Hermitage Primary School
    Commended    Malisa Amin    Lansbury Lawrence Primary School
    Commended    Zarin Tasmin    Cayley Primary School

    Key Stage Three Short Story Winners
    Joint 1st    Nishat Humaira    Central Foundation Girls’ School
    Joint 1st    Nuha Quddus    Central Foundation Girls’ School
    3rd    Leanne Lam    Central Foundation Girls’ School
    Commended    Aafriya Al-Mamun    Central Foundation Girls’ School
    Commended    Thibyan Haque    Stepney Green School of Maths and Computing
    Commended    Muhammad Safaraz Jowardhar    Stepney Green School of Maths and Computing
    Commended    Sophie Pereyra Bowdler    Morpeth Secondary School
    Commended    Ruma Begum    Langdon Park Secondary School
    Commended    Yasmin Abedin    Langdon Park Secondary School

    Key Stage Three Poetry Winners
    1st    Lailing Berthoud    Central Foundation Girls’ School
    2nd    Tasnia Choudhury    Central Foundation Girls’ School
    3rd    Tameika Bamfo    Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School
    Commended    Rima Zaman Mohini    Central Foundation Girls’ School
    Commended     Lucy Vo    Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School
    Commended    Stephanie Quarty    Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School
    Commended    Samirah Ahmed    Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat School

    Key Stage Four Short Story Winners
    1st    Thasnia Khan    Oaklands Secondary School
    2nd    Mohammed Hassan    Bow School of Maths and Computing
    3rd    Anika Haque    Swanlea Secondary School
    Commended    Ahsan Mahmud    Stepney Green School of Maths and Computing

    Key Stage Four Poetry Winners
    1st    Rahim Choudhury    Stepney Green School of Maths and Computing
    2nd    Mohammad Hamidul Islam    Stepney Green School of Maths and Computing
    3rd    Tahmena Miah    Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat School

     

    OpeningLinesBanner

     

    About the competition

    The 2014 competition runs from January to April.  Children are invited to choose one of four opening lines and write a short story or poem. The first prize in each key stage and category (short story and poetry) is £50 with additional prizes for runners up and commended entries. All prize-winners are invited to attend a writing workshop with the guest judge.

    This year’s guest judge will be acclaimed author Alan Gibbons.

    An anthology of the winning entries will be published as an electronic book via Amazon to take the children’s work to a worldwide audience, and can also be uploaded to school VLEs and websites.

    This year, the prize-giving ceremony will take place on Monday 16th June at the Clifford Chance Building for the winners and members of their family.

    Posters

    There are four A3 size posters for this year’s competition that will be sent to registered schools from January.

    There are three steps to taking part:

    1. Register your school.  Email schoolslibraryservices@towerhamlets.gov.uk or use the contact form below. The entry fee of £75 for primary schools is payable via SLA online.  The fee for secondary schools is included in their “creative literature” subscription package.
    1. Children write the stories and poems! The stories and poems must start with one of the four opening lines.
    1. Send us your entries by Wednesday 2nd April 2014 for the final judging. Primary schools must send us their shortlist of 10 entries per category. There is no limit to entries from secondary schools.
    Competition Rules

    Closing date: Monday 24th March 2014. Return entries to your English teacher. Entries to reach the Schools Library Services by Wednesday 2nd April for judging.

    Prize Giving: Monday 16th June 2013

    The Competition

    • Write a short story up to 500 words (KS2) 750 words (KS3) or 1000 words (KS4) (may also be in illustrated story or comic book format)
    • Or a poem up to 25 lines (KS2 & KS3) and 35 lines (KS4)
    • You may submit a maximum of one entry in each category

    Entries must start with one of these opening lines:

    1. I jumped out of the window and started running.
    2. Inside the old leather suitcase was a notebook, a pencil, an apple, and…
    3. Looking over the edge of the hole was enough to set your head spinning…
    4. The sky turned black. We stood and waited in silence.

    Who may enter

    • Students in KS2 (years 5 and 6) KS3 and KS4

    Submitted work

    • A completed entry form (emailed to schools) must be attached securely to the front of each entry.
    • Entries must be in English. written or (preferably) typed on one side of the page only, or emailed in Word format
    • Work should be in black or blue ink or text on white paper
    • Illustrations/comic pages should be originals or files scanned at 200 – 300 dpi
    • No Word Art or clipart!
    • Each page should have the entrant’s full name and school written clearly on the back.
    • All entries must be the student’s own work, including all illustrations. Plagiarised writing and artwork will be disqualified.
    • The judge’s decision will be final.

    Returning work

    • We will return fully illustrated work to the applicant’s school if this is requested when the work is submitted
    • We cannot return any other submissions, so please keep your own copy.

    Prizes

    • Prizes of £50, £30 and £20 for first, second and third entries in each category
    • Prizes of £10 for commended entries
    • Commended and winning entries will be published electronically with rights retained by the author
    • All winners will be invited to an exclusive workshop with author Alan Gibbons on Tuesday 17th June

    Published anthology

    • The final published book will be made available from 16th July 2014 on the Amazon Kindle store and other platforms.

    Good luck!

    Previous creative writing competitions:

    [associated_posts]
  • Wonder : Creative Writing Competition 2013

    Wonder : Creative Writing Competition 2013

    Contact us about the competition
    [XForms id=”7″]

    WonderBanner

    Winners from a record number of primary and secondary schools in Tower Hamlets gathered in the hospitality suite of the Clifford Chance offices in Canary Wharf to collect their prizes for the 2013 Tower Hamlets Creative Writing Competition.

    The competition, an annual event run by the Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service, is for poetry and short stories and is open to pupils aged 9 to 16.

    First-place prizes, winning £50, were awarded to Niamh Bush from Guardian Angels Primary School, Priya Begum from John Scurr Primary School, Tahira Chowdhury from Central Foundation Girls’ School, Caitlin Finnerty from Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School, Jaydeen Lee Kusi from Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat School and Tania Begum from Oaklands Secondary School, and were awarded by Josh Lacey, author of Island of Thieves and the Dragonsitter series, who judged the work this year.

    Prizes were also collected by children from Bow School of Maths and Computing, Stepney Green School of Maths and Computing, Morpeth Secondary School, and primary schools Globe , Hague , Our Lady, Cayley, Lansbury Lawrence , Bangabandhu, Thomas Buxton, Osmani , St Paul with St Luke’s, Chisenhale and Canon Barnett.

    Key Stage Two Short Story Winners
    1st Priya Begum John Scurr Primary School
    2nd Syeda Inayah Zisha Hague Primary School
    3rd Martina Irurita Guardian Angels Primary School
    Commended Tullia Galizia Globe Primary School
    Commended Sonny Bissessar St Paul with St Luke Primary School
    Commended Emmanuel Lwanga Our Lady Primary
    Commended Allegra Freeman Chisenhale Primary School
    Commended Rahema Begum Bangahandhu Primary School
    Commended Aakifah Ahmed Chisenhale Primary School
    Commended Nusaybah Al-Mamun Thomas Buxton Primary School
    Commended Yamin Chowdhury Osmani Primary School
    Key Stage Two Poetry Winners
    1st Niamh Bush Guardian Angels Primary School
    2nd Inaya Zaman Hague Primary School
    3rd Massammath Khadija Begum John Scurr Primary School
    Commended Ellie Lowe St Paul with St Luke Primary School
    Commended Saymon Mebrahtu St Paul with St Luke
    Commended Shania Mahmood Our Lady Primary School
    Commended Shuchi Quddus Cayley Primary School
    Commended Thomas Dowden Guardian Angels Primary School
    Commended Naifah Choudhury Canon Barnett Primary
    Commended Alisha Ali Lansbury Lawrence Primary School
    Key Stage Three Short Story Winners
    1st Caitlin Finnerty Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School
    2nd Vicky Tham Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School
    3rd Michael Duke Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School
    Commended Sofia Heustice Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School
    Commended Kobe Mendoza Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School
    Commended Shaun Odili Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School
    Commended Adiba Borsha Oaklands Secondary School
    Commended Soliman Rabie Stepney Green School of Maths and Computing
    Key Stage Three Poetry Winners
    1st Tahira Chowdhury Central Foundation Girls’ School
    2nd Karimah Nuha Firdaws Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat School
    3rd Naznina Begum Oaklands Secondary School
    Commended Jadie Phillips Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat School
    Commended Samiya Rahman Central Foundation Girls’ School
    Key Stage Four Short Story Winners
    1st Tania Begum Oaklands Secondary School
    2nd Daniel Fisher Bow School of Maths and Computing
    3rd Maryam Chowdhury Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat School
    Commended Albert Wright Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School
    Commended Akashi Alam Morpeth Secondary School
    Commended Tasrin Chowdhury Oaklands Secondary School
    Key Stage Four Poetry Winners
    1st Jaydeen Lee Kusi Sir John Cass Foundation and Redcoat School
    2nd Meaghan Coughlan Leon Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate Girls School
    3rd Beauty Ohlamini Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate Girls School
    Commended Hamza Uddin Bow School of Maths and Computing
    [associated_posts]
  • Tower Hamlets Book Award 2013

    Tower Hamlets Book Award 2013

    Latest for the Book Award

    [associated_posts]

    About the 2013 Award

    It’s that time again where we prepare for the new Tower Hamlets Book Award. This is our 7th year of running this successful event for Tower Hamlets primary and secondary schools.

    The shortlist for the award will be drawn in July from the Teen and Primary booklists in time for the Summer Reading Challenge

    The booklists are an opportunity to start reading groups around some of the best new fiction for the year.

    Don’t forget that you can arrange author, illustrator or storyteller visits to get your school enthused about reading, writing and being creative.

    Book Awards and reading help raise achievement in literacy, and are great fun as well, so what are you waiting for?

    How to take part

    Posters for the Primary Booklist will be sent to all primary schools in early May. The booklist is aimed at pupils in Key Stage 2.

    Posters for the Teen Booklist will be sent to subscribing secondary schools in late April/ ealy May. The teen list is aimed at Key Stages 3 and 4.

    The Book Award is aimed at years 5, 6, 7 and 8 and encourages children to continue using their school libraries during their transition between year groups/ schools. Schools and librarians will vote on the shortlist of 6 to 8 books from both Teen and Primary lists in July.

    Between September and November participating schools take part in reading groups and activities based around the shortlist and vote for the winning book in time for the Grand Finale

  • London Calling : Creative Writing Competition 2012

    London Calling : Creative Writing Competition 2012

    Following an incredible amount of interest from teachers and librarians, London Calling was the first of our creative wirting competitions to be opened up to primary schools.

    The theme was inspired by the 2012 London Olympic Games but also by the lyrics of London Calling the song.

    The competition was judged by award-winning author, Geraldine McCaughrean.

    LondonCallingBanner

    London Calling prize-giving press release

    The winners of London Calling, the 2012 Tower Hamlets Creative Writing Competition, looked out onto spectacular views of their city from the Clifford Chance building in Canary Wharf as they received their awards.   Presenting their prizes along with words of advice and encouragement was Carnegie award-winning author Geraldine McCaughrean who emphasised the importance of reading for pleasure and libraries as vital factors in creating the best writers.

    Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service this year expanded the annual competition to primary schools through their school librarians’ network, and young writers and poets from Bangabandhu, Blue Gate Fields Junior, Cayley, Globe, Hague, Lansbury Lawrence and St Paul with St Luke C of E Primary Schools were all in attendance.

    This year, first prizes in poetry and short story categories went to Hannah Ramanathan and from St Paul with St Luke C of E Primary School, Sadia Qureshi and Farhana Iqbal from Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate School, Summer Lewis from Morpeth School, and Kundai Sibanda from Sir John Cass’s Foundation and Redcoat Secondary School.

    Pupils from Bow School of Maths and Computing, Central Foundation Girls’ Secondary School, and Stepney Green Maths and Computing College also won prizes for their work.

    “The standard of writing was exceptional, and all of the schools gained a great deal from participating. It’s a pleasure to see such creativity emanating from schools.   We are proud be to able to continue the work of Tower Hamlets secondary consultants and keep this competition going” said Gillian Harris, Head of Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service.

    Winning entries will be published as the electronic book London Calling on the Amazon Kindle store, and at www.towerhamlets-sls.org.uk from Monday 25th June.

    Key Stage Two Short Story Winners
    1st Hannah Ramanathan If I had a Wish St Paul with St Luke
    2nd Mehnoor Jahan London Calling Cayley Primary School
    3rd Asiya Siddika Change! Globe Primary School
    Commended Iqra Ayesha Rahman London Calling Cayley Primary School
    Commended Tanzila Shamsuzzaman A School Trip St Paul with St Luke
    Commended Louisa-Star Russell-Brown London Calling Our Lady’s
    Commended Nuha Ahmed Thief at Buckingham Palace Hague Primary
    Key Stage Two Poetry Winners

     

    1st Lucy Anh Vo A Vision to Sea St Paul with St Luke
    2nd Rahama Saleh The Olympics St Paul with St Luke
    3rd Demi Ruffell London Calling Our Lady’s
    Commended Yusuf Ahmed Racist or Sexist Lansbury Lawrence
    Commended Freya Samuel-Smith London is a Busy Town Bangabandhu Primary
    Commended Ruben Estephane London Calling Our Lady’s
    Commended Rukba Ahmed London Olympics Blue Gate Fields
    Key Stage Three Short Story Winners

     

    1st Sadia Qureshi Tripping on Words Bishop Challoner
    2nd Valentina Granata The London People Choose to Ignore Bishop Challoner
    3rd Nadiyah Shah Barefaced London Central Foundation Girls’
    Commended Jibril Ahmed Dodge City Bow School
    Commended Nazim Rahman Monologue of a Pigeon Stepney Green
    Commended Nishat Humaira London Riot Central Foundation Girls’
    Key Stage Three Poetry Winners

     

    1st Summer Lewis London’s Calling Morpeth School
    2nd Abigail Asabea-Appiah London’s Calling Bishop Challoner Girls’
    3rd Ridhwan Haque Jewels of London Stepney Green Secondary
    Commended Bella Jordan Armstrong London’s Maze Morpeth
    Commended Reshma Akthar The Athlete Central Foundation Girls’
    Commended Tahmid Hussain (sp?) Primrose Hill Stepney Green
    Commended Aiste Tiskeviciute London’ s Calling Bishop Challoner Girls’
    Key Stage Four Short Story Winners

     

    1st Farhana Iqbal Jack is Coming Bishop Challoner Girl’s
    2nd Nermeen Hilton Ratatouille Bishop Challoner Girl’s
    3rd Ngozi Oboze Principes Mortis Bishop Challoner Girl’s
    Commended Marzia Khan Ripper Sir John Cass
    Key Stage Four Poetry Winners

     

    1st Kundai Sibanda London Calling Sir John Cass
    2nd Ronnie-Anne Barthram Stereotypical London Bishop Challoner Girls’
    3rd Bunmi Musa-Moses The London Game Bishop Challoner Girls’
    Commended Kimberley Nguyen The Future of London Bishop Challoner Girls’
    Commended Joseph Thomas-Samuels Gold Bishop Challoner Boys’
    Commended Ijenne Enwerem My Interpretation Bishop Challoner Girls’
    [associated_posts]
  • Tower Hamlets Book Award 2012

    Tower Hamlets Book Award 2012

    THBA2012BannerChildren in Tower Hamlets voted “The Brilliant World of Tom Gates” by Liz Pichon as the best new book for 10-13 year olds at the Tower Hamlets Book Award Finale held in Swanlea School Library on Friday 30th November.

    A record eighteen schools, both primary and secondary, attended the finale and saw eight schools perform a presentation about their favourite book – with Globe Primary School (narrowly) taking the prize for their interpretation of “Too Small to Fail” by Morris Gleitzman. This competition was judged by Josh Lacey, Catherine Johnson, both of whom had books on the THBA shortlist, Candy Gourlay, whose book “Tall Story” was shortlisted last year, and Pam Girdwood, until recently school librarian at the Blue Gate Fields schools.

    The poetry competition, where children were invited to write a poem about their favourite book, was won by Tahseen Al-Zahra of Cyril Jackson Primary School for her poem The Tree Monster based on “A Monster calls” by Patrick Ness

    Shortlist:

    1. The Brilliant World of Tom Gates by Liz Pichon
    2. Monacello : The Little Monk by Geraldine McCaughrean
    3. Brave New Girl by Catherine Johnson
    4. The Island of Thieves by Josh Lacey
    5. The Search for Wondla by Tony Diterlitzzi
    6. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
    7. Too Small to Fail by Morris Gleitzman
    8. Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur
    [associated_posts]
  • Crossing The Line : Creative Writing Competition 2011

    Crossing The Line : Creative Writing Competition 2011

    CTLBannerCrossing the line was the first of the Creative Writing Competitions to be run by the Schools Library Services. The winners were chosen by author Pete Johnson.

    Download Crossing the Line (.epub)

    Read Crossing the Line (.pdf)

    Key Stage Three Short Story Winners
    1st HAZERA KHATUN Sir John Cass School Strikingly original, absolutely unforgettable piece which takes us inside the head of a person who ‘crosses all limits’ – the bully. Deeply felt story which says so much.
    2nd NASRIN AHMED Central Foundation Girls School This gripping tale is written with great power and insight. Beautifully controlled yet full of emotion.
    3rd RUBEKA ZAFAR Morpeth School A story about war yet written with such quiet power and fascinating detail. It builds to a most eloquent ending.
    Commended SAHRA BOTAM Langdon Park A dramatic and gripping piece. A writer of great talent.
    Commended SALMAN RAHMAN Stepney Green College An intense, highly original piece, written with great power and skill.
    Highly commended MINHAJ CHOWDHURY Bow School for Boys A compelling narrative which also features a most likeable character.
    Highly commended BILAL HAMMANI Bethnal Green Technology College The dialogue here is vivid and completely natural. A writer of great promise.
    Key Stage Three Poetry Winners

     

    1st NADIA RAHMAN Morpeth School Ambitious, challenging and highly original. Full of raw power. A superb achievement. Full of ideas and emotion.
    2nd ZAHRA NABIL Bishop Challoner School Deeply felt, the ending is almost unbearable. Absolutely gripping and unforgettable.
    3rd JOSHUA STREETE CAMPBELL Raines Foundation School Eloquent, absorbing, this poem is strikingly individual. At the end you already feel you know the writer. Last lines are devastating.
    Highly  commended SYEDA KHATUN Langdon Park One of the most positive and inspiring of all the poems. This writer has great potential.
    Highly commended MINHAJ RAHMAN Stepney Green School Shows great promise. Full of vivid phrases and images.
    Highly commended SHAKILA  TASNIM Mulberry School Written in a gripping, conversational style. Extremely powerful ending.
     Commended AKASHI ALAM Morpeth  School I really like this. The writing is so natural and unforced. A detailed plot, but the writing style carries the reader along.
    Key Stage Four Short Story Winners

     

    1st ZAHRA DEERA Central Foundation Girls’ School I loved this: sad yet wise and life-affirming too.  Highly unusual and quite unforgettable.
    2nd TASNIM SHORMEE AZIZ (Shormee) Bishop Challoner Collegiate College A superb achievement. It brings alive a character and a situation with wonderful depth and vividness.  I was thoroughly engrossed throughout.
    3rd TAMARA BARRETT Bishop Challoner Collegiate College A fascinating opening, grips the reader at once. This story never relaxes its hold and the ending is incredibly powerful.
    Highly commended RIMA RASHID Sir john Cass School Opening with a series of short sentences, sets the scene with economy and skill. The feelings of the main character are especially described
    Highly commended OLIWIA LEWANDOWSKA Raines Foundation School Written with the power and precision of a poem. This writer shows huge promise.
    Key Stage Four Poetry Winners

     

    1st CHERRY WHIPP Central Foundation Girls’ School This is brilliant: stylish, funny, shocking and full of emotion. A highly original voice.
    2nd JACKIE ANYURU Bishop Challoner Girls’ This makes its points in a direct, really affecting way. Last line is so poignant.
    3rd RHIANNON HUTCHINGS Sir John Cass Very effective, compelling look at how the tiniest things can derail a relationship. Last verse shows vividly how devastating break-ups can be
    Highly commended ALFRED GREEN Raines Foundation School Highly individual, striking, exciting poem. This writer has much to say.
    Best in School Winners
    Langdon Park School SAHRA BOTAM Langdon Park School A dramatic and gripping piece. A writer of great talent.
    Morpeth School NADIA RAHMAN Morpeth School A superb piece of writing – ambitious and powerful.
    Mulberry School SHAKILA TASNIM Mulberry School Extremely powerful yet written with disarming naturalness.
    Raines Foundation School JOSHUA STREETE CAMPBELL Raines Foundation School Eloquent, absorbing and devastating poem.
    Sir John Cass HAZERA KHATUN Sir John Cass An unforgettable piece – deeply felt and highly original.
    Stepney Green School MINHAJ RAHMAN Stepney Green School Vivid and powerful. A writer of huge promise.
    Prize-giving press release

    With equally high ambitions, the winners of Crossing the Line, the 2011 Creative Writing Competition, were treated to spectacular views of the city from the 30th floor of the Clifford Chance offices in Canary Wharf.   Presenting their prizes along with words of advice and encouragement was celebrated author Pete Johnson who told the winners and their guests that the writing of Tower Hamlets students was the best in the country.

    Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service now organise this competition which has become an annual celebration of the best young writers in the Borough. This year first prizes in poetry and short story categories went to Zahra Deera and Cherry Whipp from Central Foundation Girls Secondary School, Nadia Rahman from Morpeth School, and Hazera Khatun from Sir John Cass’s Foundation and Redcoat Secondary School.  Pupils from Bethnal Green Technology College, Bow School of Maths and Computing, Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate Girls School, Langdon Park School, Mulberry Girls School, Raine’s Foundation School and Stepney Green Maths and Computing College also won prizes for their work.

    “The event was inspiring and the standard of writing was truly amazing,” said Gillian Harris, Head of Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service

    [associated_posts]
  • Tower Hamlets Book Award 2011

    Tower Hamlets Book Award 2011

    THBA2011posterThe Schools Library Service is delighted to announce that Street Heroes, by Joe Layburn won the 2011 Tower Hamlets Book Award. A thought-provoking book of great relevance to children in Tower Hamlets, it looks again at the story behind the battle of Cable Street in 1936.

    At the Finale on 25th November, 120 children gathered to cast their final votes. Globe Primary won the book presentation competition with their inspired re-interpretation of “Letters from an Alien Schoolboy” by Ros Asquith.

    Pupils were also invited to take part in an art competition to design a postcard to publicize the 2012 Book Award. Standards were very high and pupils from Lansbury Lawrence Primary, Old Palace Primary, Globe Primary and Hague Primary shared first prize.

    THBA2011Banner Shortlist:

    1. Calamity Jack by Shannon Hale
    2. Tall Story by Candy Gourlay
    3. The Vampire Blog by Pete Johnson
    4. When you reach me by Rebecca Stead
    5. Letters from an Alien Schoolboy by Ros Asquith
    6. Street Heroes by Joe Layburn

    View: Longlist 2011 (.pdf)

    [associated_posts]