Year 8 Students at the British Library

Well done to our fantastic Year 8s on their first exciting English trip this year! The Year 8s definitely impressed everyone with their creativity, respect and enthusiasm towards the workshop. They even shared some lovely and inspirational poems at the British Library Malorie Blackman Workshop.

It is safe to say that all of our students enjoyed their time at the British Library and they learnt a lot about the rich historical context and societal influences behind Blackman’s texts such as Noughts and Crosses and Pig-heart Boy. The students also obtained knowledge and skills for writing about context regarding the novel
and play they are going to read this term, Noughts and Crosses.

The day began with an insightful workshop about Blackman’s struggles that she faced through her screenwriting career and they learnt about how she got rejected 82 times from different publishing companies until she was told “don’t give up”.

Students appreciated the key message of reliance and the hardships Blackman faced to become a prominent British writer. Overall, the Year 8s were delighted to be inspired for their poetry writing skills and showed their Oaks Park values proudly, being responsible and kind throughout their journeys.