We welcomed Jacqueline Wilson and Kidney Research UK to the Senior School in September 2015. It was wonderful for many of our students to meet their childhood idol and to hear about her journey as a writer and her battle with heart and then kidney disease.

During the audience questions one student asked for Jacqueline’s recommendations on how to become a successful writer. Her response was simple, ‘Read and keep a diary.'

She explained how reading Jane Eyre had inspired her love of literature, and how observations made in her everyday life and recorded in her diary had later inspired characters in her books. It was a truly inspirational evening.

During the summer break a number of pupils who are now in Years 5 & 6 responded to the challenge set by Kidney Research UK to write a short story entitled, ‘I couldn’t live without...’, to be judged by Jacqueline Wilson.

We were delighted that six Junior School pupils were shortlisted in the competition. Congratulations to Lucy Awbery-Maskell, Lara Chaplin and Sirisha Gorantla in Year 5, and to Jemima Fung, Hannah Germaschewski and Ellie Roles in Year 6. The girls attended the Jacqueline Wilson evening on Wednesday 23rd September.