We are now in the ninth year of our partnership with The Writers' Prize, through which talented First Story students benefit from working one-to-one with an acclaimed writer from The Folio …
London
Writers-in-Residence Skills Share Day 2025
Our Annual Skills Share Day is a chance for our writers to come together, undertake peer to peer training and hear our plans for the year ahead. On Tuesday 9th September, we welcomed First Story …
Folio Academy Mentorships Showcase 2025
On Saturday 5 July, we celebrated the achievements of the 2024/25 Folio Academy Mentorship recipients at a showcase event hosted by the London Library. This was the eighth year of First …
London Connect 2025
In early July, First Story young writers from across London gathered at the University of Greenwich for our annual London Connect. Students from Aylward Academy, Commerce House, St Paul’s Way School …
Tiny Poems Competition Winners 2024/25
We're excited to announce the winners of our first ever Tiny Poems Competition - for poems of five lines or fewer. Participation was high, with 231 young writers taking part. This year's judges …
First Story Presents: London Voice
A creative-writing podcast that puts students’ voices and experiences at the forefront. Helping young people navigate and express their views around the continually changing …
Winners of the 2025 Philip Pyke Memorial Prize announced
Open to writers of poetry and prose who have completed our Young Writers Programme, the Prize is awarded in memory of Philip Pyke to support young writers as they continue their writing journey. …
100 Word Story Competition Winners 2024/25
This year’s 100 Word Story Competition again demonstrated the talent amongst our young writers. 351 students from First Story partner schools wrote brilliant stories, taking on the challenge of …
Young Creatives Collective
The Young Creatives Collective is an exciting part of First Story's new Young Creatives Programme, which will nurture progression opportunities for people interested in writing and other creative …
Your Voice
An intensive KS3 programme to boost confidence and language skills in writing, discussion and sharing. Led by a professional writer, three in-school workshops will encourage students to …
Six Word Story Competition Winners 2024/25
Our annual Six Word Story competition is a challenge in concise storytelling. Inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s famous six word story “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” we ask our young …
First Story Alumni Event at the London Library
We invited First Story Alumni to an in-person event at The London Library on 8 November. It was a chance for those who'd taken part in the Young Writers Programme to meet each other, and us, and take …
Announcing: Folio Academy Mentorships 2024/25
We are now in the eighth year of our partnership with The Writers' Prize, through which talented First Story students benefit from working one-to-one with an acclaimed writer from The Folio …
Folio Academy Mentorships 2024 showcase
The Folio Academy Mentorship scheme gives talented First Story alumni the opportunity to be mentored for one year by experienced, acclaimed writers from the Folio Academy. On 13 July our 2023/24 …
London Connect 2024
Over 80 students – Year 7 to Year 12 – from six London schools took part in our Connect event at the University of Greenwich in early July 2024. Connect events are included in our offer for …
Winners of the inaugural Philip Pyke Memorial Prize announced
Open to writers of poetry and prose who have completed our Young Writers Programme, the Prize is awarded in memory of Philip Pyke to support young writers as they continue their writing journey. …
100 Word Story Competition Winners 2023/24
This year’s 100 Word Story Competition again demonstrated the talent amongst our young writers. Over 270 students from First Story partner schools wrote brilliant stories, taking on the …
Young Writers Festival Highlights 2024
On 27 March 2024, nearly 300 First Story participants from across England came together at Downing College, University of Cambridge, to take part in our annual Young Writers Festival. It was a day …
A day of creative collaboration – First Story Writers at the Courtauld Gallery
We recently reignited our partnership with London's Courtauld Gallery, which had previously hosted Schools Connect Events before the pandemic. 10 of our London writers attended a 'meeting of …
Six Word Story Competition Winners 2023/24
Our annual Six Word Story competition is a challenge in concise storytelling. Inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s famous six word story “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” we ask our young …
Announcing: Folio Prize Mentorships 2023/24
We are now in the seventh year of our partnership with the prestigious Folio Prize, through which talented First Story students benefit from working one-to-one with an acclaimed writer from the Folio …
London Connect 2023
120 students – Year 7 to Year 12 – from eight London schools took part in our Connect event at the University of Greenwich in June 2023. Connect events are included in our offer for Young …
Folio mentorships 2023 showcase
The Rathbones Folio Prize Mentorships scheme gives talented First Story alumni the opportunity to be mentored for one year by experienced, acclaimed writers from the Folio Academy. On 15 July our …
Young Writers Festival Highlights 2023
On 30 March 2023, more than 240 First Story participants from across England came together at the University of Cambridge to take part in our annual Young Writers Festival. Held for the first time at …

