This June we were proud to celebrate the finale of our collaboration with Nottingham Poetry Festival, at an inspiring event at Nottingham's new Central Library. Two schools - The Bulwell Academy and …
Outcomes and Impact
Young writers exploring higher education through Connect events
Held during the autumn term, our region-specific Connect events are designed to connect young writers with each other and with local education and cultural opportunities where they live. Each event is …
‘I am so grateful to have had this experience’
Michelle Burke is a First Story Lead Teacher at Haringey Learning Partnership: Commerce House, an alternative provision school and service in Wood Green, London offering specialised teaching and …
First Story Co-founder, Katie Waldegrave receives MBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours List
First Story are thrilled that one of our founders, Katie Waldegrave has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2021. Alongside 1,000 individuals, Katie has been honoured for her …
Creative Writing and Social and Emotional Learning
After reading the National Literacy Trust's tenth annual literacy survey, published earlier this month, First Story's programme manager for the East Midlands, Jess Tickell, reflects on the …
A good education for all: First Story and the Ofsted inspection framework
Last month, Ofsted published its Annual Report for 2018/19, the year it introduced its new education inspection framework and sparked fresh debate about what works best to tackle disadvantage. Is …
Our impact in 2018-19
We’ve published our annual Impact Report for the year ending June 2019. I joined First Story as Chief Executive at the end of the academic year, but I'm no less proud of all that was achieved in …
Creative Writing in Schools: Recommendations
In 2015 First Story received a Creative Writing in Schools grant of £600,000 from Arts Council England, alongside our fellow creative writing organisation, Paper Nations. We were thrilled …
New research shows that arts projects can help narrow the achievement gap
New research, funded by Arts Council England’s Creative Writing in Schools Strategic Fund, shows that arts projects can help reduce the gap in academic achievement between rich and poor …
The Bookseller reports on the ‘substantial impact’ of First Story
‘In the late Barry Hines’ novel Kes — so memorably adapted for the big screen in 1969 by Ken Loach — there is a scene in which the young hero, Billy Casper, stands at the front of the class …
