Mayfield School News

Boys’ Literacy Challenge – Part 2

Following on from our very successful visit to HMS Warrior in February eight Year 9 boys attended the second part of the literacy challenge on Wednesday 12th June. This time the setting was the historic Royal Marines Museum in Eastney. The title of the day was The Psychology of Fear and was once again organised by EBP.

Having had such a brilliant day in February the boys were full of enthusiasm and expectation for the day and they weren’t disappointed.

With boys from schools around the city assembled, the day started off with a drill, Royal Marines style, in front of the museum just as new recruits to the Royal Marines would have experienced when the museum was a barracks over 100 years ago.

Then, throughout the rest of the morning, the boys attended several workshops which were designed to promote their literacy skills including reading, writing and speaking and listening as well as to encourage co-operation, team work, time management and competition.

The highlight for the boys was a tour around the museum which visited areas which are not usually open to the public. However, this wasn’t an ordinary tour. Along the way were several professional actors who took on roles, telling horror stories of days long ago. One of the most memorable was when the boys were taken into the cold, damp, pitch-black cellar and a ‘ghost’ emerged along the corridor. This was quite a chilling and scary experience, although afterwards the boys, full of bravado, wouldn’t admit how scared they actually were.

After lunch the boys set to work producing their own stories, diary entries and poems. They took inspiration from the workshops to produce some superb texts. I think some of the boys even surprised themselves at how well they wrote and were rightly proud of their efforts.

Whilst the boys had some free time to explore the museum’s exhibits the stories of all the boys who attended were judged by a panel which included Portsmouth’s Young Poet Laureate, Joe McQuilken. Congratulations to Alfie Bogen and Josh Hulton who were runners up and who won £20 of WH Smith vouchers each and to Daniel Macedo who came third and won £10.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank EBP for once again organising a truly memorable day; to all the staff at the Royal Marines Museum for helping create an unforgettable and inspirational experience; to Mrs Patis and Miss Wooller for driving us to the event and bringing us back to school and to Miss Holliss for accompanying us." - Mrs Carrick, Teacher of English

Extracts from the boys’ winning stories:

"I was at the museum and there was a storm outside. The rain hammered against the windows as if someone was trying to get me and the wind was howling just like a hungry wolf on a full moon." - Alfie Bogen

"I pause before I open the door and nervously walk inwards with legs like jelly. With a loud slam the door shuts. My stomach flips over and my heart starts pounding. Walking anxiously towards the door a shiver runs down my spine like someone is telling me to turn back now." - Josh Hulton