CREDITON’S Queen Elizabeth’s School (QE) was thrilled to welcome renowned author and spoken word artist Steven Camden for a visit to deliver an inspiring assembly to Year 9 students on the art of creative writing.

Steven is a leading spoken-word poet from the West Midlands and he performs under the name Polarbear.

He also writes radio plays, teaches storytelling in schools, and was a lead artist for The Ministry of Stories. All of his work is a celebration of his mixed heritage and the amazing characters he grew up around.

Building on his previous visit when the Year 9s were in Year 8, Steven led an engaging session where he demonstrated how to generate story ideas from simple concepts.

Students were then encouraged to expand these ideas into fully developed stories, sparking their imagination and deepening their understanding of the creative process.

The session was part of the “Creating Worlds” programme, which encourages young writers to think outside the box and develop their unique voices.

The students impressed everyone with their wonderful ideas, showing incredible enthusiasm and creativity throughout the assembly.

At QE, which is part of the Ted Wragg Trust, students follow a rich and varied English curriculum that builds skills in reading, writing, speaking, and literary analysis.

Ms Paula Smith, Headteacher at Queen Elizabeth’s School said: “It was an absolute pleasure to have Steven Camden back with us to inspire our Year 9s. His ability to connect with students and ignite their imaginations is truly remarkable.

“The students’ ideas were fantastic, and it’s clear that they’ve been motivated to continue developing their writing skills. This is exactly the kind of engagement that we love to see at QE.”

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said: “Steven Camden’s visit is a brilliant example of how we can encourage creativity and a love of learning beyond the traditional classroom setting. The ‘Creating Worlds’ sessions are a fantastic opportunity for our students to develop their creative writing skills, and we’re proud to support initiatives like this that help shape their future success.”