Extended Reading Offers

We offer several after-school clubs where students can explore a love of reading and literacy. These include the Hooked on Books reading club and the First Story creative writing club. Professional author Paula Rawsthorne has been working with The Bulwell Academy since October 2022 to help our students write and publish their own book of stories and poems.

Recent literacy trips have included visits to Nottingham Trent University, Bromley House Library and the Lakeside Arts Centre, where students had the opportunity to work with professional authors and poets including Jim Hall, Darren Simpson, Manjit Sahota, Andrew Graves and Kerry Drewery.

Our students also have opportunities to get involved with the annual Nottingham Poetry Festival every May, as well as enter writing competitions such as Foyle Young Poets of the Year and the Tower Poetry Competition. We are incredibly proud that our students have won two of First Story’s national writing competitions: the national 100 Word Story competition (2023) and the Eco-Poetry competition (2024).

‘First Story’ Creative Writing Club

We have a group of students across the school who take part in the First story programme. They work with our writer in residence to develop their writing skills and produce texts that are then professionally edited and published as a printed anthology. The First Story programme offers students a chance to practice different styles and explore a variety of creative themes, while also improving their communication skills and confidence.

Click on the button below to find out more about all of our extra-curricular clubs and how to sign up.