Gifted and talented pupils will descend on Keswick School this half term to grow their own murder and horror stories as part of a programme to challenge and inspire students with experiences beyond the regular curriculum.
Keswick School has been selected as one of the first 23 providers of courses for young, gifted and talented children in England and the only school which currently acts as a provider.
On Monday (11 February), 22 Key Stage 3 children will find out how to grow their own murder along with Guy Hutchins from the Moby Duck Theatre Company. Guy is an experienced writer, storyteller and educationalist. The pupils will be investigating the plants growing in Crosthwaite graveyard and use them as a springboard to create their own crime-based thrillers. The idea is that the young people's tales will be inspired by plant facts and uses, along with the horror tales about them from both the ancient past and the present.
Then on the Tuesday (12 February) the storytelling theme for years 5 and 6 is 'Grow your own horror stories'. During the day Guy will 'model' a range of horror thrillers, create grisly narratives with the children, then encourage them to make their own tales. By the end of the day they will have made, told and refined at least two original murder stories!
The Keswick School activities will all take place at Crosthwaite Conference Centre next to the school, which was opened in 2004 and benefits from extensive audiovisual facilities, high specification networked computers and high speed video conferencing equipment.
The new national Young Gifted and Talented programme was launched in 2007 and is designed to stretch and stimulate at least the top ten per cent of the brightest young learners in the country, engaging all gifted and talented learners aged 4 - 19 through a new 'Learner Academy'. Provision in specific subjects such as science, maths and modern languages are available for children and young people gifted in those areas, or talented in such areas as the creative arts, sports and dram. It also provides for children and young people who demonstrate high ability or potential in vocational. leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
The Keswick School Gifted and Talented programme was also launched in September 2007, with the highly successful 'So you want to be a doctor?' taster session where aspiring sixth form medical students found out what it is really like at the sharp end of the medical profession, and how to increase their changes of winning a coveted place at medical school.
As well as February half term's 'Grow Your Own' sessions, the school's Gifted and Talented programme is also offering an exciting Derwentwater survival challenge during May half term, and foot ball skills in August.
Keswick School's Jill Eccles, who has been organising the events, said:
"The response to these activities has been brilliant.
"We will be arranging many more for Crosthwaite over the next couple of years, and I would encourage all pupils to keep an eye on our website to find out what we are planning.
To find out more about Keswick School's Gifted and Talented programme, go to http://www.keswick.cumbria.sch.uk/ (external link).
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To arrange, and for further information, contact Jill Eccles or David Brown at Keswick School. Telephone: 01768 772605 or on Monday 11 February 01768 774005.
The National Learner Academy can be accessed through the web portal at http://www.ygt.dcsf.gov.uk/ (external link)
Young, Gifted and Talented resources are also available to home educated, independent school and international sector learners