Authors inspire Ascot pupils' flights of imagination

Book Week took place for all 870 pupils from Reception to Year 13 who enjoyed at least one talk or workshop with a published writer.

Comic book writer John Byrne began the week with a workshop called 'A picture paints a thousands words' for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils teaching them how to draw a cartoon by sketching the junior school's senior master, Edward Dennis.

John said: "I had a brilliant time doing the cartoon workshops at LVS Ascot and the pupils were a real credit to the school."

Cartoonist and writer Neill Cameron, artist in residence at The Story Museum in Oxford, gave talks to Years 10 to 13 in the school theatre.

He also ran a Year 9 workshop where he fed their imaginations by helping students create hybrid characters from random suggestions, and signed copies of his books such as Mo-Bot High and The Pirates Of Pangaea.

Comedy writing duo The 2 Steves gave talks to both junior and senior pupils on why writing stories is important, to never give up and how to use your imagination to create fiction. They also announced the results of LVS Ascot’s first ever book awards, judged the costume competitions which saw both pupils and staff dressed up in costumes from their favourite books, and signed copies of their own books.

Learning Resource Centre Manager Emma Keeler said: "This was the best book week LVS Ascot has ever held, as it had a really positive impact on all of our pupils from four years old to 18. Every one of them was able to enjoy access to an author during the week which really emphasised the benefit of being an all-through school.

"We wanted to encourage reading for pleasure and the part that illustration plays in enhancing that, and through our inspirational guests we definitely achieved that."

Other events during LVS Ascot Book Week included house storytelling which saw Years 7 to 9 combining action and narration on stage, house dodgeball and a literary quiz to test pupils’ knowledge.