Vibe Writers' Group Official Homepage

Vibe is the new Sixth Form magazine written and edited by students of Hellesdon High School, Norwich, and gives its name to its second Writers' Group, continuing the success of its first, Minutemen 350. Although the regular workshop is advertised as a Sixth Form Enrichment course, most participants in fact enter for the AQA A Level qualification in Creative Writing, accredited by all major universities.

Ruby Pinner and Dom Gilmour at the Young Norfolk Poets awards

Moreover, besides being published in the Hellesdon High School Newsletter and Vibe members of the group enter competitions. For example, in the past two years alone we have been twice longlisted for the prestigious Tower Poetry Prize, while this year the winner of Young Norfolk Poetry prize, along with its runner-up, came from the Vibe Writers' Group. The outgoing editor of Vibe, Alice Noel, has also received a Special Commendation in the Reader's Digest flash fiction competition, and her piece will be published in a future issue. We are proud to make our small contribution to Norwich as a UNESCO City of Literature.

Workshops, which take place outside timetabled school hours, are animated in the main by student teachers and graduates from the world-famous UEA English courses, the source of award-winning writers such as Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro, Anne Enright, Tash Aw, Susan Fletcher, Adam Foulds, Andrew Miller, Christie Watson and many others. This unique teaching method is highly favoured by students, and sets them up well for university. Participants can come from Year 10 and Year 11 (by invitation), and Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth (as part of Enrichment or as a subject contributing to a qualifications portfolio).

We believe that writing is a craft, which reaches perfection by being practised, and for this reason we all write every day. Our workshops are supportive and non-judgemental, open-minded and appreciative of all expression in the written word. It is our intention to to improve our skills, and continue to perfect them in places of Higher Education, in newspapers and magazines, to become journalists, editors, poets and novelists, and in written composition to serve the widest possible range of readers and audiences.

"Writing is the geometry of the soul"—Plato.

"Look in thy heart and write"—Sir Philip Sidney.

For the end of the excellent associated academic course we welcome back Ellie from the University of East Anglia as a Workshop Coordinator.

Ellie Howell

Ellie says, "I'm delighted to return to Hellesdon Sixth Form for the final cycle of A-level Creative Writing.

"I would like to encourage all of those who write, or who would like to write, no matter in what form, to attend one of our workshops".

Armando Celayo, Winner of the 2012 Escalator Prize

Above: Award-Winning Novelist Armando Celayo, Lead Workshop Coordinator

The optional examination which is offered by the course (AQA Creative Writing A Level) is unlike other examined subjects in the sense that it is the coursework—the writing portfolio—which carries more assessment weight than the exam, which in itself is meant to reflect a writing workshop. For further details click the "AQA" link below.

Sixth Form English | AQA | Contact Us

187 Middleton's Lane | Norwich NR6 5SB.
01603 254344 (T) | 01603 254332 (F)