Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services

Tag: Primary Schools

  • Junior Poetry Slam 2020

    Junior Poetry Slam 2020

    With twelve schools taking part this year, we held two Junior Poetry Slams on Thursday 6th February at Rich Mix in Bethnal Green.

    Many thanks to Amal Fund of the Said Foundation and Samuel Butler Educational Foundation for making the whole event possible!

    Sign up now to take part next year!  Working in partnership with the Amal Fund, whose aim is to increase visibility of Muslim creativity in the community, we are seeking out and training Poet Coaches from the Muslim community to work with primary schools and give children in our schools role models they can identify with, as well as work with established artists such as Kat Francois and Steve Tasane.

    Our new coaches this year are Amina Jama,  Rakeya Fetuga, Abdullahi Muhammed, Muneera Williams and Shagufta Kiqbal.

     

    This year we have two sets of winners!

    Morning slam

    Best team : Hermitage School : Watch Hermitage School’s performance

    Best line : St Pauls  School (Group) : “I am the size of an ant but have dreams as big as an elephant” : Watch St Pauls School’s performance

    Best Poem : St Elizabeth School (Kuro) : Watch St Elizabeth School’s performance

    Best Solo Performance : St Saviours  School (Ibrahim) : Watch St Saviours School’s performace

    Best image created : Thomas Buxton School (Group): a wonderful range of different family images :

    Most Noise : Olga School : Watch Olga School’s performance

    Outstanding effort : Olga  School (Fatou)

    Afternoon Slam

    Best team : William Davis School : Watch William Davis School’s performance

    Best line : Arnhem Wharf School (Zayaan)  “We don’t have a mascot but what represents us is love” : Watch Arnhem Wharf School’s performance

    Best Poem : Woolmore School (Ibrahim) : Watch Woolmore School’s performance

    Best Solo Performance : Osmani School (Summeet) : Watch Osmani School’s performance

    Best image created : Lansbury Lawrence School (Group): “I am a leafless tree, swaying in the wind” : Watch Lansbury Lawrence School’s performance

    Most Noise : William Davis School

    Outstanding effort : Cayley School : the youngest class (year 4) : Watch Cayley School’s performance

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  • Tower Hamlets Book Award 2019

    Tower Hamlets Book Award 2019

    Well done to Onjali Rauf!

    The Boy at the Back of the Class has been voted the winner of the Tower Hamlets Book Award by pupils from over 40 schools!

    Onjali Tweeted a lovely video message which we’ll share here: https://twitter.com/OnjaliRauf/status/1197906268700205056

    Thank you to all of the schools who attendedthe finale and to the staff at East Wintergarden.

    We’ll be updating this page soon with more details about the finale!

     

    About the Book Award

    The annual Tower Hamlets Book Award is just one of the exciting events made possible by subscriptions to the Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services, and is a free event for subscribing schools.

    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.

    Download the book award guidelines and timeline 2019

    The shortlisted books!

    • The Boy at the back of the class by Onjali Rauf :There used to be an empty chair at the back of my class, but now a new boy, Ahmet, is sitting in it. He’s nine years old and very strange. He never talks, never smiles and doesn’t like sweets. But then I learned the truth: He isn’t strange at all. He’s a refugee who’s run away from a War. With bombs and fires and bullets that hurt people. And the more I find out about him, the more I want to help.
    • The Train to impossible places by P G Bell : Disturbed by a noise in the middle of the night, Suzy wakes to find that someone’s run a railway track through her house. When the train arrives, she finds herself whisked away to work for an interdimensional post office…
    • Now or never by Bali Rai : Private Fazal Khan, from India, is proud to be in the British Army in World War Two, but is that pride misplaced when his comrades turn on him during the frightening evacuation at Dunkirk
    • Freedom by Catherine Johnson : Nathaniel doesn’t want to move to England with his master’s family and leave behind his mother and sister on the Jamaican plantation. But then he remembers what his mother told him: once a slave sets foot on English soil, they’re free…
    • The Wild robot by Peter Brown : Robot Roz finds herself alone on a remote island, with only animals for company.  She has no idea how she got there, but in her programming is knowledge of what she ought to need to survive.  But then her programming was not designed for dealing with storms and vicious, unwelcoming animals….
    • Running on empty by S E Durrant : AJ’s parents both have learning difficulties. His Grandfather helped out with things like bills, money for the electricity meter and parents’ evening. But after he dies, AJ has to take on a lot more responsibilities and his ambition to be a runner suffers.

    Canary Wharf Group will once again be kindly providing each subscribing school with a free set of the shortlist, as well as hosting the grand finale on 22nd November.

    Why join in?

    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.

    The award, and the primary and secondary book lists, encourage pupils to make their own choices about what they read, and to discover new and exciting authors and stories.

    Schools have the opportunity to attend the grand finale, meet authors and generally have a great time.

    Grand Finale

    East Wintergarden

    43 Bank St, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NX

    Friday 22nd November

    • Meet the authors : S.E. Durrant, Catherine Johnson and P. G. Bell
    • Enter the presentation competition
    • Quizzes and competitions
    • Cast your votes for the winning book!

    Timetable (tbc)

    • 12:15pm : Schools can arrive, browse the bookstall, meet the authors and eat their packed lunch.
    • 1pm : Event begins (please arrive no later than this time!)
    • 2.20pm : Announcement of the winner of the presentation competition
    • 2.25pm : Announcement of the winning book
    • 2.30 – 3pm : Schools depart/ meet the authors

    For more info, email jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk

     

    Presentation Competition

    Every year 8 schools put on performances at the grand finale to be judged by our guest authors!

    If you wish to present a book at the finale, tick the appropriate box on the finale booking form above.

    • There is time for eight schools to present a book at the finale
    • As usual, schools will be allocated slots in the competition on a first come-first served basis as they confirm which book they are presenting, and as long as this book has not already been chosen by too many other schools (all 6 books should have at least 1 presentation each).
    • let the Schools Library Service know which book you’re championing by Friday 1st November (preferably earlier to ensure your choice of book!). If your book is already fully booked (pun intended), you’ll be asked to choose an alternative, so it’s good to have a reserve title in mind.
    • Presentations will be judged on the group’s ability to deliver their presentation in an entertaining, interesting and exciting way that will appeal to a pupil audience and inspire pupils to read their chosen book. Time limit: 3 minutes.
    • You could:
      • Perform a play about the book or perform an extract from the book
      • Dress up and role play as characters from the book
      • Show video footage of what pupils in their school think or video footage of pupils voting
      • Show an author interview (real or made up with pupil dressed up as author)

    Even if your club does not get to present a book at the Finale, they can perform for a school assembly!

    Notes for participating schools…
    • Please let us know whether photos can be taken of your groups
    • Be prepared to be using a raised stage on the day (approx. area 3m x 8m)
    • Radio microphones will be provided on the day and are not optional! The venue is very large and pupils won’t be heard without using mics. Pupils may wish to rehearse with prop microphones.
    • Presentations may include audio, video, still images and PP slides as backgrounds.
    • The sound/ video desk is upstairs from the stage on a mezzanine – if you have sound and video playback, one person will need to be upstairs during the performance to work with the technician
    • To ensure we can play back your AV files, you’ll need to provide them (or a sample file in the same format) before November 22nd.
    • You may bring as many props and costumes as you require to the finale, but please take them with you when you leave! Costumes and other items may be borrowed from the Schools Library Services
    • We can provide chairs to use on the stage.

    Art Competition

    Every year we run an art competition based on the shortlist books.

    Pupils are challenged to create an artistic response of their choice to any of the 6 Book Award books.

    Previous competition entries have included…

    • Drawings/ paintings of scenes from the books
    • Poems inspired by the stories
    • Alternative endings/ scenes
    • Comic strips based on the books
    • Character portraits
    • Book cover designs
    • Bookmark designs
    • Models of scenes from the books

    Winners will be awarded a prize at the finale where shortlisted work will be on display (guest authors have been known to request competition entries to put on their websites!).

    Competition deadline

    ALL entries must arrive at the Schools Library Services (PDC, 229 Bethnal Green Road) by the morning of Monday 18th November for judging. Any entries submitted after this date will not be judged!

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  • Junior Poetry Slam 2019

    Junior Poetry Slam 2019

     

    Our amazing KS2 Junior SLAMbassadors took place at Morpeth School lecture theatre on Thursday 14th February 2019  with funding support from the Amal Fund of the Said Foundation.

    2019 Winners!

    Each school gave a group performance and a solo performance, with trophies being awarded for the best poem (group and solo), best line, best performance, the best imagery, and to the class who made the most noise (supporting the poets on stage, of course)!

    Best Poem : Lansbury Lawrence Primary School (both solo and group) : A change is going to come For each and every one

    Best line: Olga Primary School : “we stand against racism, sexism and school uniforms!” “My head is a map in another dimension”

    Best Group Performance : Arnhem Wharf Primary School : “This team worked so well together, with the chorus and individual lines.”

    Best solo performance : William Davis Primary School : “Esther was poised, spoke clearly, invited audience participation and used pauses well.”

    Best imagery : Woolmore Primary School : Solo poem set in outer-space ending with “my feelings are out of this world”

    Most noise! : Cayley Primary School : Participants from Cayley school delivered some very funny lines and the audience went wild!

     

    About Junior SLAMbassadors

    Junior SLAMbassadors is one of the very few Slams that focus on primary school children to write and perform their own poetry.  The project develops emotional literacy, speaking and listening as well as writing skills and performing skills.

    One previous participant commented:

    “For children, the process of being guided through the process of composing a poem; from word choices and vocabulary to performance, has left them with skills and confidence that they can take on into other aspects of their lives and learning.”

    The Amal Fund aims are to increase understanding of Britain’s Muslim communities among people of other faiths and none and to foster a stronger sense of belonging in the UK among its Muslim communities.

    Using the theme of Identity, pupils are encouraged to think about the world around them; from the local to the global, about who they are and their relationship with others.  At the showcase, pupils – both individually and in groups – get a chance to perform their poetry, with prizes for a variety of categories – best line, best visual image, best performance etc.

    Each school taking part received:

    • INSET in early January for staff who are to be involved, providing activities and tips for engaging your class with poetry, preparing for your poet visit.
    • Two days with your poet coach, exploring the Junior SLAMbassadors theme of Identity and encouraging your pupils to begin writing their own poetry. Each child in your chosen class will have the opportunity to write and perform. At the end of the sessions your class will have chosen a group (or whole-class) piece and a solo piece to perform
    • The chance to perform at the SLAMbassadors Showcase

    Take part!

    Schools can sign up for next year’s SLAMbassadors Poetry Slams through SLAonline.  The secondary schools’ event is in July each year, and the next junior event will be in February 2020.

    For more information, contact gillian.harris@towerhamlets.gov.uk

  • Primary School Pupil Library Assistant of the Year Award

    Primary School Pupil Library Assistant of the Year Award

    The next pupil library assistant awards will be in 2024. Contact the Schools Library Services to register your interest.

    About the Award

    The award will be presented to a pupil library assistant in a Tower Hamlets primary school who has been helping in their school library for at least one term and has shown responsibility and initiative in exercising their duties as well as gained knowledge of books and library routines and the skills of reading and library promotion.

    Nominate your library assistants

    Download and complete a nomination form if your school is taking part

    Aims of the Award

    • To enable children to be aspirational and develop specialist job skills
    • To enable children to develop a sense of responsibility, achievement and self-esteem
    • To give children a chance to be part of the everyday running of the library
    • To promote librarianship as a future career
    • To promote citizenship in pupils
    • To promote the development of communications skills

    Prizes!

    The Award ( book tokens, trophy and certificate, plus free books for the school library) will be presented at an awards ceremony

    Take part

    The next pupil library assistant awards will be in 2024. Contact the Schools Library Services to register your interest.

    Criteria

    Nominees should be primary school pupils who have been helping in the school library for at least one term.

    The Nomination Process

    The proposer (school librarian or teacher) is asked to describe the nominee in the following categories:

    • Personal qualities
    • Examples of particular contribution (e.g. helping other pupils, helping with library web pages, helping with displays, helping with new books etc.)
    • Being a role model for other pupils and supporting the goals and vision of the school library
    • Reading and library habits
    • Promotion of the library and of books to peers
    • Knowledge of library routines and tasks and ability to work with initiative and responsibility in the library

    The nominated pupil is asked to write a short piece (250 words maximum) on their contribution to the school library, and the headteacher asked to endorse the nomination

  • Michael Rosen on World Book Day 2019

    Michael Rosen on World Book Day 2019

    We are delighted to announce that we have secured Michael Rosen for our World Book Day event on Thursday 7th March 2019.

    He will be making two appearances at the Genesis Cinema, 93-95 Mile End Road, on that day at 10.30am and at 1.30pm, each for one hour.  His talk is suitable for all ages in KS2 and KS3.

    There will be a book stall provided by Brick Lane bookshop .

    Meeting Michael Rosen and pre-ordering books

    In order to ensure that representatives from every school get a chance to meet Michael, we ask that you choose up to FIVE children from your class who can join the queue at the end to get books signed.

    We will have pre-signed book plates for other children who want to buy books but can’t get to meet him.

    Here is an order form for the list of books suggested by Michael Rosen that will be available for sale at the Brick Lane Bookshop book stall, who are offering £1 discount on all titles.  Pre-orders are invited, and you are welcome to request other titles which are in print.  Please send  this form to Gillian.Harris@towerhamlets.gov.uk by Friday 15th February

    Nearer the time, we will invite you to send in questions your pupils might like to ask Michael, and we will choose a range to ensure we get a variety of topics!

    For more information about this event, please contact Gillian.harris@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

  • Tower Hamlets Book Award 2018

    Tower Hamlets Book Award 2018

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    Contents

    1. Send your feedback
    2. The Books
    3. About the Book Award
    4. Why Join in?
    5. Timeline and guidelines
    6. Register
    7. Competition
    8. Grand Finale

    Congratulations, Neill Cameron!

    Votes were cast today for the 2018 Tower Hamlets Book Award, and Neill Cameron was the clear winner for ‘Mega Robo Rumble!’ Neill was present at the grand finale at East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf, along with ‘Illegal’ co-author Andrew Donkin, to receive the award in front of hundreds of children from Tower Hamlets and Newham schools.

    Competition winners

    Virginia Primary School won the Presentation competition with their interpretation of Nevermoor, with excellent performances from all the schools who took part.

    Our creative competition inspired lots of drawings, poems and models. The following winners were awarded prizes on the day:

      • Zahra Mostafa from William Davis School for her model box inspired by Welcome to Nowhere
      • Oisis Campbell-Wright from William Davis School for his model of a scene from Nevermoor

     

    • Lemonie Choudhury from St Saviours School for her Nevermoor poster and Welcome to Nowhere poem
    • Farihah Amin from Central Foundation Girls School for her Welcome to Nowhere Poem
    • Sehzik Rahman, Alesha Zaman and Talha Bhuiyan from Vicarage Primary School for their collaborative comic strip inspired by Illegal

    The Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services would like to thank Canary Wharf group and all of the staff at East Wintergarden for all of their work in supporting the Tower Hamlets Book Award this year.

    Teacher Feedback

    If you’ve been shadowing the award, please complete this short feedback survey . If you’re attending the grand finale, please complete this form after Wednesday!

    Click here for the survey
    Create your own user feedback survey

    The Shortlist!

    Image result for canary wharf group logo

    Canary Wharf Group have kindly continued to sponsor the book Award by buying a set of books for each school and providing use of the East Wintergarden building as the venue for the grand finale event.

    A free set of the shortlist will be sent to subscribing schools in the Autumn term, courtesy of Canary Wharf Group. Additional sets are available to buy at the discounted price of £39. Email jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk

    Subscribing schools will also recieve:

    • Book Award posters
    • Book award bookmarks for year 5 and 6 pupils

    Welcome to Nowhere by Elizabeth Laird : Twelve year old Omar is from the beautiful and bustling city of Bosra, Syria. Omar wants to become a successful businessman but soon bombs are falling and Omar and his family have to flee their home and homeland. But where do you go when you can’t go home?

    Caleb’s Cab  by Sally and Sylvain Chomet : Escaping from a surreal world where money means more than happiness, Caleb needs to find his father before the evil Money Mongers get to him first. His only hopes – a fake moustache and his dad’s taxi cab.

    Mega Robo Rumble : Mega Robo Bros 2 by Neill Cameron : Alex and Freddy are brothers. They’re also robot (not so) secret agents defending East London from rampaging villains!

    Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk : Crow has always lived on the island, ever since, as a tiny baby, she was found washed up on the shore by gentle Osh. But as she grows older, questions start to arise about who she really is…

    Nevermoor : The trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend : Morrigan is due to die on her twelfth birthday, and is less than happy when it turns out that her death is coming a year early. Unless, that is, a different fate is planned for her, involving the Wundrous Society, a giant cat and the phenomenally ginger Jupiter North.

    Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin : Ebo is one of thousands of refugees from West Africa, desperately attempting to make the crossing to the refugee camps in Italy. Following his sister and his brother he crosses the Sahara to Tripoli and finally to the merciless crossing over the sea.

    The shortlist was be selected from the 2018 Must Read list and the 2018 Teen Booklist

    About the Book Award

    “Children need to be enthused to read and if they are, this will become a springboard for their achievements throughout the curriculum.”

    (Report of the Inquiry into Overcoming the Barriers to Literacy, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Education, 2011)

    The annual Tower Hamlets Book Award is just one of the exciting events made possible by subscriptions to the Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services, and is a free event for subscribing schools.

    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.

    Why join in?

    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.

    The award, and the primary and secondary book lists, encourage pupils to make their own choices about what they read, and to discover new and exciting authors and stories.

    Schools have the opportunity to attend the grand finale, meet authors and generally have a great time.

    Timeline and guidelines

    book award guidelines 2018

    • July : THBA Shortlist announced
    • July : Make sure you’re on our Book Award mailing list so that you’re kept up-to-date about this event. Email jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk
    • August : Pupils can read the shortlist as part of their Summer Reading Challenge (see Idea Stores and public libraries)
    • September : Launch your book award reading groups
    • October : Registration for the THBA Grand Finale opens
      • If you’re taking part in the presentation competition, start planning your performances
    • November : Join us at the grand finale

     

  • Creative Writing Competition 2018

    Creative Writing Competition 2018

    grant_png_blackThe Book

    We need to make some changes around here, the winning entries of the 2018 Creative Writing Competition, has been published as a paperback and an eBook with funding from Arts Council England. Copies of the printed book have been sent to schools subscribing to the Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services. To request copies, please contact jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk

    The following electronic editions are available.

    About the competition:

    Changes for webThe Tower Hamlets Creative Writing Competition is an annual event for schools in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for students aged nine years to sixteen. Conceived in 2004 by Tower Hamlets Gifted and Talented strand of the Excellence in Cities programme, it has been run by Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service since 2011 with the aims of promoting wider reading and literacy, and to encourage young people to express themselves through the written word.

    Research carried out during the 2017 competition showed that pupils participating in the competition and the author workshops benefited by gaining confidence in their writing ability and gaining greater insight into the issues raised by the competition themes.

    The winners!

    I am pleased to announce that the prize-winners for the 2018 Tower Hamlets Creative Writing Competition have been chosen!

    DSC_0012 croppedAward-winning author Berverley Naidoo judged the pupil’s work on creative approaches towards the theme, engaging stories and characters, and inventive and original writing styles. The quality of the work was incredible this year, so very well done to all of the winners. There were definitely some surprises!

    The Schools Library Services would like to thank Clifford Chance for hosting the prize-giving.

    View winners
    Category Prize Pupil name Pupil school Title
    KS2 Poetry 1st & best in school Tasnimah Nasrin Clara Grant Primary Ms Tower Hamlets
      1st & best in school  Fahim Ali Marner Primary A mother’s cry…
      2nd & best in school Marwa Aya Zaouchi Osmani Primary Look at it in a different way
    2nd & best in school Nyah Mahdiya Rahman Stebon Primary In 100 years
    3rd & best in school Umyma Ahmed St Paul’s C of E Beauty is Pain
    3rd Jeannette M Goldman Solebay Primary Up to You
    Commended Khadija Begum Osmani Primary Changes in my world
    Commended  & best in school Oluwafeyikemi Abodunrin Calverton Primary I dream
    Commended  & best in school Sarah Hasan Ben Jonson Why do we have to live like this?
    Category Prize Pupil name Pupil school Title
    KS2 Short Story 1st & best in school Mahek Yasmin Virginia Primary The forgotten note
    2nd Saarah Noor Virginia Primary The Unexpected
    3rd & best in school Yusuf Hussain Blue Gate Fields Junior The animal revolution
    Commended  & best in school Safwan Ahmed Halley Primary The forgotten child
    Commended  & best in school Yahya Alam Wellington Primary A million-mile flight
    Commended  & best in school Phoebe Harniess St Saviour’s C of E Home
    Commended Ruby Caldarone Wellington Primary Dealing with body image
    Best in school Saima Zahra Rahman Thomas Buxton Size Doesn’t Matter
    Best in school Tawheed Murshed Old Palace Help Save the Earth
    Best in school Tazkia Hoque Globe Ways to change a woman’s rights
      Best in school Mauli Islam Cayley We are all different
    Best in school Dolly Harvey St Johns The Heart of Stone
    Category Prize Pupil name Pupil school Title
    KS3 Poetry 1st Yusra Abdul Central Foundation Girls My World and Me
    1st Rhaven Coster Central Foundation Girls I’m walking home
    2nd Humairah Yasmin Central Foundation Girls Together we can
    3rd Sara Uddin Central Foundation Girls Underneath
    3rd Fairoz Faria Central Foundation Girls Prescribed By Those Who Want to Silence Us
    Commended Sameen Jannat Central Foundation Girls Change
    Commended Daiyan Ahmed Stepney Green Problems
    Commended Labibah Siddiqah Central Foundation Girls Feigning the Fight for Freedom
    Category Prize Pupil name Pupil school Title
    KS3 Short Story
    1st Namira Qaisar Sandhu Swanlea Secondary I’m not happy
    2nd Nashid Tabassum Central Foundation Girls Surprise
    3rd Anisha Khanom Central Foundation Girls On the Inside
    Commended Tahiya Rahman Central Foundation Girls Adilah’s Terror
    Commended  & best in school Jannatul Rashid Bow  Secondary Society’s ignorance
    Commended Bella Donaldson Morpeth Secondary This Girl is Called Jazmyn
    Commended Maisha Tanvir Ali Central Foundation Girls Truly be me
    Commended Charlotte Worley Morpeth Lost
    Commended Ayesha Yasmin Morpeth More to life
    Best in school Siddika Khanom Oaklands Secondary Homeless
    Best in school Mohammed Sadad Hossain SJC Sec It all started as a dream
    Category Prize Pupil name Pupil school Title
    KS4 Poetry 1st & best in school Taqiya Labiba Central Foundation Lost pearls

    DSC_0015 croppedPrize winners were also invited an exclusive workshop with Beverley, kindly hosted by the Canary Wharf Idea Store, where they explored poetry, stories and storytelling.

    The winning work will be published this autumn as a paperback. The official launch will be during the Write Idea Festival in November. For more information about the competition anthologies, please contact jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk

    The Theme

    We need to make some changes around here wat the theme for the 2018 competition. The theme changes each year and suggestions and resources to help pupils approach each theme are sent to registered schools.

    Taking Part

    Registration for the 2018 competition is now closed.

    1. Register for the competition via SLA online (Tower Hamlets Schools) or by contacting the schools library service (non-borough schools)
    2. Contact us to arrange your free writing workshops (see below)
    3. Inspire your pupils to write stories and/or poems around the competition theme
    4. Send the work to us by the end of the spring term for judging

    Free writing workshops

    The Arts Council England is supporting the project by funding a series of author-led workshops for participating schools.  Two workshops per school will be allocated on a first come – first serve basis in the spring term.

    The intention is to run the workshops in February/ March so as to provide inspiration and advice to pupils prior to the competition deadline.

    Workshops will be available to schools registering for the Creative Writing Competition

    So that we are able to book the most suitable authors; Please send us

    • date(s) that you’d like to hold your workshop(s) on.
      • Workshops on different dates may be run by different authors
    • the year group(s) that you’d like an author to work with (primary schools should note that the KS2 category of the competition is for years 5 and 6 only).
    • an estimate of numbers. The maximum size for a workshop is one class (30 pupils).

    The date of the workshop can be at any time during the spring term. Once you’ve chosen the date we will let you know which authors will be available to visit your school.

    Please note that the funding is to run practical workshops and not group talks/ assemblies.

    Publishing the winners of the 2017 competition

    We’re pleased to announce that the This is My Dream paperback edition is now available! This book collects the winning work by Tower Hamlets and Syrian pupils who entered the 2017 creative writing competition

    • All winners (below) are entitled to a free copy.
    • All schools who participated in the 2017 competition will receive a set of these books.
    • All schools subscribing to the Schools Library Services will receive a free copy

    Please contact the Schools Library Services for more information

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  • KS2 Poetry Slam 2018

    KS2 Poetry Slam 2018

    The Junior Slambassadors Finale took place on Thurs 8th Feb at the Waterside Theatre of Bow School, with three primary schools competing for prizes that included best group performance (Olga), best poem (Woolmore), best line in a poem (Lansbury Lawrence) and best solo performance (Sabirin Saheba, Woolmore).

    Slam 18 for web
    Lansbury Lawrence Team Poets

    Nazmia Jamal and Joelle Taylor of the Poetry Society expertly MC’d the event, with a guest performance from Charlotte Sonnex of Central Foundation Girls School, who was one of the 8 national winners of the senior Slambassadors last year.

    As usual, the quality of both the poetry written by the children during their poetry workshops and the delivery of the poetry in performance was stunning, with children speaking loudly and clearly and with passion, and mostly without notes!

    A big thank you to Tracy Smith of Tower Hamlets Education Partnership who joined Gillian Harris of the Schools Library Service and Nazmia on the panel of judges.

    Schools can sign up for the 2019 Slam via SLAonline now!

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  • Tower Hamlets Book Award 2017

    Tower Hamlets Book Award 2017

     And the winner is…

    a library of lemonsJo Cotterill and Phillip Reeve joined pupils from 33 primary and secondary schools at the 2017 awards finale, which was kindly hosted by Canary Wharf Group. Jo was speechless (mostly) as she accepted the award for the fantastic A Library of Lemons which had really captured the imaginations of readers.

    Phillip took a well-earned third place with Railhead with Katherine Rundell’s Wolf Wilder coming second.

    Jo Award
    Jo is presented with her award for A Library of Lemons by Gillian Harris, head of the Schools Library Services

    Eight schools – St Annes Primary, Arnhem Wharf Primary, Morpeth Secondary, Sir John Cass Secondary, Guardian Angels Primary, Cyril Jackson Primary, Blue Gate Fields Juniors, and St Johns Primary all put on fantastic performances based on the shortlist, and it was Blue Gate Fields that took the prize for best performance with their take on Wolf Wilder.

    BGF performers
    Pupils from Blue Gate Fields Junior School celebrate a well-deserved win

    The Schools Library Services would like to thank all of the teachers and librarians who encouraged so many children to take part in the award, all of the staff at Canary Wharf Group, East Wintergarden and Ampersand Catering and of course Phillip and Jo for being fantastic competition judges and for being wonderfully inspiring.

    Philip signing Jo signing

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The books are…

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    Cast your vote!

    • [media-downloader media_id=”22548″ texts=”Download the ballot paper”]

    Online voting is now closed. Finale attendees should bring all completed ballot papers with them.

    Pupils are entitled to their own vote as long as they’ve read at least one of the books!

    • [media-downloader media_id=”21430″ texts=”Download a PowerPoint presentation of the shortlist”]
    • [media-downloader media_id=”21432″ texts=”Download award timeline and guidelines”]
    Cotterill, Jo A library of lemons Calypso has shut herself away in books and stories since her mother’s death. So has her father who has been growing ever more distant and needing more care than Calypso can give. When she discovers the sad secret hidden in his library, she knows that there is something wrong. Perhaps her new friend, Mae, and her family hold the key to fixing both their lives.
    Hargrave, Kiran Millwood The girl of ink & stars The world beyond Isabella’s island is a monster-filled wasteland – and beneath the dry rivers and smoking mountains, a fire demon is stirring from its sleep. Setting off to find her friend, Isabella discovers the true end of her journey: to save the island itself.
    Leonard, M G Beetle boy Darkus Cuttle can’t believe that his father is the sort of man to just ‘disappear’. He also can’t believe it when a giant beetle seems to want to communicate with him – how can a boy be friends with a beetle? And can the beetle help him find his father?
    Rundell, Katherine The wolf wilder Wolf pups can fetch a thousand roubles and are said to bring luck to a household, but they can never be truly tamed. Feodora is a wolf wilder, who takes wolves when they outgrow their household and teaches them to be as strong and as wild as the country where they were born.
    Roy, Nilanjana The Wildings Prowling, hunting and fighting amidst the crumbling ruins of one of Delhi’s oldest neighbourhoods, are the proud Wildings. These feral cats fear no one, go where they want and do as they please – but change is in the air…
    The Wildings trailer

    Reeve, Philip Rail head The Network Empire. A star-spanning web of rails traversed by sentient trains, ruled by rival families. Just the place for a lowlife thief like Zen Starling to meet his destiny…

    Your FREE set of the shortlist courtesy of Canary Wharf Group have now arrived at your schools (addressed to the school librarian or literacy coordinator).

    Register

    If your school is following the award, please email jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk so that we can keep in touch with you about the award and any extras on offer. If you want to attend the finale, please fill in the form below.

    Competition time!

    Click here for competition details

    Every year we hold a creative competition based on the shortlisted books.

    1. Pupils should choose one (or as many as they like!) of the categories below
    2. Create something fantastic!
    3. Send the entries to us (details below) by Monday 20th November for judging
    4. The best pieces will be on display at the Grand Finale where the winners will receive their prizes.

    Categories

    • Write a haiku poem or an acrostic poem based on one of the 6 books
    • Make a character portrait of any character from one of the 6 books
    • Illustrate a favourite scene from one of the 6 books
    • Design a bookmark promoting next years Tower Hamlets Book Award (one side only) Template -right click and save the image.

    Rules

    • All entries will be checked for plagiarism!
    • Artwork must be entirely the pupils’ own work. Tracing, copying, cut ‘n’ paste from the internet, clip art and stickers will not qualify for a prize.
    • Entries must be received by the Schools Library Services, PDC 229 Bethnal Green Road, E2 6AB by Monday 20th November.

    Good luck!

    Grand Finale

    Canary Wharf Group have very kindly allowed us to invade the East Wintergarden again this year! As usual, the finale will be a celebration of the award with performances by pupils (max 8 groups), quizzes and of course, the voting for the best book!

    Friday 24th November | 43 Bank Street, London E14 5NX, |12.30pm to 3pm

    Confirmed guests this year:

    Image result for philip reeve

    Philip Reeve

    Author of the Railhead series, the Mortal Engines series (to be released in December 2018 as a film by Peter Jackson), the Goblins series (shortlisted for the 2013 Tower Hamlets Book Award), and Oliver and the Seawigs and Pugs of the Frozen North (with Sarah McIntyre).

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    Jo Cotterill

    Author of A Library of Lemons, a Storm of Strawberries, the Electrigirl series (longlisted for the book award this year)  and Looking at the Stars.

     

     

     

     

    About the Book Award

    “Children need to be enthused to read and if they are, this will become a springboard for their achievements throughout the curriculum.”

    (Report of the Inquiry into Overcoming the Barriers to Literacy, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Education, 2011)

    The award is just one of the exciting events made possible by subscriptions to the Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services, and is a free event for subscribing schools.

    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.

     Why join in?

    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.

    The award, and the primary and secondary book lists, encourage pupils to make their own choices about what they read, and to discover new and exciting authors and stories.

    Schools have the opportunity to attend the grand finale, meet authors and generally have a great time.

     

    David, Joanna, Ross and Sally had the tricky job of choosing the best presentation
    The 2016 Award finale at Canary Wharf. Authors David Solomons, Joanna Nadin, Ross Welford and Sally Nicholls had the tricky job of choosing the best school presentation
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