Our annual Six Word Story competition is open to all First Story participating schools. From a shortlist of excellent stories, the editors at Penguin Random House picked this year’s winner.
FIVE First Story bursaries for PGCert at University of Cambridge
Five bursary places available to study for a University of Cambridge PGCert in Teaching Creative Writing at its Institute of Continuing Education
First Story Young Writers Festival 2021 Highlights
First Story history, 2021’s celebrations took place entirely online, with students and schools joining us virtually to take part in workshops and hear award-winning authors discuss their work.
Passing the virtual baton: Wordbank’s First Story fundraising
In September 2021 marketing localization agency, Wordbank approached First Story with an idea: to raise donations for our Young Writers Programme through fun, collaborative activities with their team.
Announcing: Rathbones Folio Prize Mentorships 2021/22
In its fifth year, the Rathbones Folio Prize Mentorships scheme pairs six talented First Story alumni with acclaimed writers from the Folio Academy, receiving a year of 1:1 mentoring support to further develop their writing craft.
WATCH: Rathbones Folio Prize Mentorships 2020-21 Showcase
Watch clips from this summer’s virtual showcase event, which celebrated new writing by five First Story alumni, chosen to be Rathbones Folio Prize Mentees in 2020/21.
Patrice Lawrence MBE announced as First Story Ambassador
Carnegie Medal nominee, Patrice Lawrence MBE has been announced as Ambassador for First Story, England’s leading creative writing charity for young people. Lawrence will champion First Story’s mission to promote the power and pleasure of creative writing to students in low-income communities.
Summer 2021 residential highlights: another digital success
The ongoing pandemic meant our annual summer residential course had to be delivered virtually for a second year — and we smashed it again!
‘First Story is life-changing’: Running our Young Writers Programme in Alternative Provision
In 2021, First Story facilitated a sixteen-week Young Writers Programme at Haringey Learning Partnership: Commerce House, an alternative provision school and service in Wood Green, London, offering specialised teaching and support to students with complex needs. Commerce House marks the first in a series of programmes First Story will implement across Pupil Referral Units in London, the Midlands and the North.
‘I am so grateful to have had this experience’: Lead Teacher, Michelle Burke on the impact of the First Story programme
Michelle Burke is Lead Teacher at Haringey Learning Partnership: Commerce House, an alternative provision school and service in Wood Green, London offering specialised teaching and support to students with complex needs.
National Writing Day 2021 #FilltheBox Challenge Highlights
The fifth annual National Writing Day took place on 23 June 2021, celebrating the power and pleasure of creative writing. This year’s celebrations took place both online and in schools, to ensure as many people as possible had the opportunity to put pen to paper.
Celebrating our very first set of ecopoetry competition winners!
What a year it’s been! A year more turbulent than ever with the effects of a global pandemic creating an acute social, political and economic crisis more pressing than any other in living memory for many of us. And yet COVID-19 is far from the only pressing crisis we face… With experts telling us that …