Write Your Own Historical Story Competition and the Joan Blyth Memorial Prize 2013.

The competition this year has again been successful. There has been an increase in entries, mostly from Years 5 and 6. Once again the change in categories has led to an increase in the number of schools entering students who have been writing historical fiction as part of a whole class or year group. All entries were acknowledged by email where this was given. We received 102 entries from 40 schools across England with far flung entries from the International School of Geneva in Switzerland.

As in previous years the stories were set in a wide variety of periods and places in the past; they ranged from Ancient Rome to the recent Middle East with many stories set in the Second World War. There were slaves and Queens, soldiers and explorers. Once again the quality of stories was strong across all Years. The most successful stories had an interesting problem that drove their plot and used historical detail to establish their setting without it intruding on the narrative. Those who entered the character category created well rounded people whose characters were conveyed not just by physical description but also by what they did, said and felt. Some students had clearly benefited from good advice from a writing partner or teacher and others were clearly drawing upon their own reading of romantic, adventure and time travel stories. Continuing the pleasing development from last two short listed entries came from schools where a teacher had attended the H.A.'s own eCPD course Teaching history in the classroom using historical fiction. All the entries were remarkably creative.

A judging panel of Dave Martin with Beth Brooke (teacher at All Saints Comprehensive School, Weymouth) and Fiona Ray (teacher at Dorchester Middle School) and Year 5, 6, 7 and 8 pupils from Dorchester Middle met on Saturday 15^th June in the Dorset County Museum to read, enjoy and discuss the short listed stories.

 

Winners

Year 5 & 6 Best Story Joan Blyth Memorial Prize 2013

‘Time To Take a Shower' by Cleo, Year 6, Gallions Primary School, Warwall, Beckton, E6 6WG.

‘I will carry on' by Anya, Year 6, Finton House, 171 Trinity Road, London SW17 7HL.

 

Year 7, 8 & 9 either Best story written as part of a whole class or year group or Best fictional historical character

‘Join, or die' by Tommy, Year 8, Highgate Wood School, Montenotty Road, London N8 8RN

 ‘Souviens - Toi' by Emily, Year 8, Walton High School, Walnut Tree, Milton Keynes MK7 7WH.

‘The Visitors' by Eneh, Year 9, Royal Masonic School for Girls, Rickmansworth Park, Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 4HF

‘Sins' by Max, Year 8, The Romsey School, Greatbridge, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 8ZB.

‘Same Difference' by Lauren, Year 9, Selston High School, Chapel Rd, Selston, Nottinghamshire NG16 6BW

‘The Lady in the Painting' by Erin, Year 8, The Romsey School, Greatbridge, Romsey, Hampshire SOs1 8ZB.

 

Short listed

Year 5 & 6 Best Story Joan Blyth Memorial Prize 2012

‘Terra Nova' by Anna, Year 6, St Mary's and St Peter's C of E Primary School, Somerset Road, Teddington, TW11 8XR.

‘Run' by Jessica, Year 5, St Mary's and St Peter's C of E Primary School, Somerset Road, Teddington, TW11 8XR.

‘The Time Dagger' by Sallie, Year 5, Rode Heath Primary School, Heath Avenue, Rode Heath, Cheshire ST7 3RY.

 

Year 7, 8 & 9 Best story written as part of a whole class or year group and Best fictional historical character

‘My Story: WWII' by Connie, Year 9, Oaklands Catholic School, Stakes Hill Road, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO7 7BW

‘Eboracum's Boy' by Daisy, Year 7, The Mount School, Dalton Terrace, York, YO24 4DD.

‘The Life of Genevieve' by Anna, Year 8, Walton High School, Walnut Tree, Milton Keynes MK7 7WH.

‘Promises' by Isabelle, Year 8, The Romsey School, Greatbridge, Romsey, Hampshire SOs1 8ZB.

‘Dien de la Maladie' by John -Paul, Year 7, Millthorpe School, Nunthorpe Avenue, York, North Yorks YO23 1WF

‘Stable Boy' by Lauren, Year 9, Barrs Hill School and Community College, Radford Road, Radford, Coventry CV1 4BU

The eight winning entries each receive an engraved Bath Aqua Glass paperweight and £25 prize plus a Winner certificate. All short-listed entries also receive a Short Listed certificate. These were all be posted soon.