We were delighted to host our annual KS3 Scholars’ Event recently, featuring the highly acclaimed author, illustrator, and cartoonist, Dave Shelton. Dave led two wonderfully engaging workshops that ignited the imaginations of our students.

In the art and cartooning session, students first experimented with silhouette and speed drawing techniques. They then embarked on creating a ‘double act’ of two distinctive characters designed to be easily identifiable in a cartoon strip. Embodying the session’s first rule – ‘be original’ – the students generated an impressive array of characters, from a snail adorned with fairy lights to a feline detective equipped with a weapon, and even a parakeet sporting a top hat.

Meanwhile, students participating in the creative writing workshop produced equally imaginative responses. They rose brilliantly to the challenge of trapping their ‘double act’ characters in an inescapable situation. Their innovative ideas included two humans entangled in a dystopian lab experiment, a woman who inadvertently swaps places with her own reflection in a mirror, and an impressive assortment of animal species in perplexing predicaments.

Dave was able to offer individual feedback to the students on their pieces, providing invaluable insights and encouragement. We are incredibly grateful to him for facilitating such a fantastic opportunity for our girls to further develop their creative skills through both writing and art. The event was a resounding success, fostering originality and pushing the boundaries of their artistic and literary talents.