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Ivybridge Community College

Ivybridge Community College

Ivybridge Community College

Author and Screenwriter Andy Briggs Visits Ivybridge Community College

On Monday, 11 June, author, screenwriter, producer, and self-proclaimed nerd, Andy Briggs, visited Ivybridge Community College as part of the Year 7 Reading Celebrations.

Year 7 students who had completed all four stages of the Books and Beyond Reading Challenge were invited to a session hosted by Andy, allowing students to experience what a real writers’ workshop is like.  Over 60 students gathered in the Leaning Resources Centre to plan, plot, and pitch their story ideas.   Never has the Library been so noisy.   There was Harry Potter meets The Greatest Showman, a Love Island murder-mystery, as well as original tales of sinister voices, far-off planets, and vicious ringmasters.  But as Andy reminded us, “Even your most weird ideas can turn into a story. You don’t know where it will take you.”  The students were then invited to read their new ideas, and both Andy and the Librarians were surprised and impressed at the dramatic and charismatic readings, as well as their outlandishness. We definitely have some future authors and thespians at the College.

Students, parents, carers, grandparents and siblings were invited into College to celebrate the reading achievements of more than half of the Year Group, all of whom had actively engaged with making significant progress in their reading across their first year at the College.  Andy took to the stage and wowed the audience with his tales of climbing mountains and sniffing gorillas, his wonderful research on wacky yet exciting inventions, and his unique perspective on various stories.  The audience were then invited to take part in an interactive quiz to find out just how much of a baddy they each are, it seems we have a great range of heroes and villains in our midst.

Following each of the two sessions, Andy met with students and their families in the Leaning Resources Centre, where he signed books, posed for photos and generally enthused about reading and writing with all involved.

The students were all very grateful to have had the opportunity to meet Andy and enjoy his inspirational entertainment.  In fact, many who saw him speak (adults and children alike) have vowed to read more, and several have been motivated to write a story; it looks like we might have some budding authors among us.