Cranford Community College, High Street, Cranford, Hounslow. TW5 9PD - Tel: 020 8897 2001 - www.cranford.hounslow.sch.uk
EP ETIW N D O W N REHHE ET CRANFORD
REVIEW
June 2008
Cranford Community College hosts BBC Radio 4 Any Questions?
pilot project On Wednesday 2nd April 2008 Cranford Community College staff, parents and governors shared with a delighted audience from the entertainment and publishing world, the creative writing stories by fourteen sixth form students who made up Cranford’s First Story writing group. They have been working alongside author William Fiennes and former history teacher and writer, Katie Waldegrave since November 2007. In weekly after school workshops the group have been using creative exercises to develop their writer’s voices and their prose style. The pieces presented were born from memory and imagination through tireless editing and redrafting over a four month period. The panel of judges were: William Fiennes, author of The Snow Geese, the actress, Alice Patten whose roles include Eugenie in Vincent in Brixton and the film Rang De Basanti (2006) and lastly, the writer and documentary film maker, Jon Ronson, who began as an award winning columnist for Time Out and is now acclaimed for his work in a variety of programmes including a series for Channel 4, Secret Rulers of the World and Tottenham Ayatollah to name but a few. First Story is a new initiative to bring writers into British schools. William and Katie said of the students, “Cranford has been the pilot project and if every school can produce students even half as dedicated, humorous and talented, there is no doubt it will be a great success. It has been an enormous pleasure and privilege to work with them”. Four students will go on to read their work in a national forum at the O2 Arena in the autumn; Esther Nicoll, Jay Badricha, Bhavin Bhatt and Satvinder Sangra.
On Friday 8th February 2008 Cranford Community College opened its doors to BBC Radio 4 ‘Any Questions?’ and to a 250 strong audience of interested stakeholders. The guest list included: the Director of Children’s Services, the Mayor, numerous councillors from Hayes, Hillingdon and Hounslow, local M.Ps, local residents, staff and students who all had a desire to pose a question, have a voice and be heard. Jonathan Dimbleby chaired the panel whose members were Inayat Bunglawala, Assistant Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain, Jim Knight, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, Susan Kramer, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Families and the Cabinet Office and David Willetts, Shadow Secretary of State for Innovations, Universities and Skills. Ten questions were selected by the BBC for broadcast two of which were presented by students from Cranford, Randeep Matharu and Angit Kumar. Jonathan Dimbleby commented upon the lively and passionate debate on a range of topics including, Sharia law, the success of education in Finland and the very hot subject of a third runway at Heathrow airport. The evening concluded with light refreshments and an opportunity to reflect upon the topics for debate. The evening was a huge success.