Steve Skidmore is Back in the Building!

This event took place on 23/11/2021.

What a delight to have our Patron of Reading back in the academy. After almost two years of no visitors, no visits and far too much Zooming, Year 7 students were finally treated to what many consider the highlight of the year: The Steve Skidmore Year 7 Author Presentation.

Steve’s reputation as a very funny man is known throughout the academy, but Year 7 still underestimated just how entertaining he is. Of course he deftly sneaked in copious amounts of education in among the hilarity (but don’t let them know!) Huge thank you to the two Year 7 boys who voluntarily jumped on stage and transformed into two incredibly calamitous warrior princesses.

Some lucky students were selected to take part in a Creative Writing Masterclass where more hilarious learning took place – much of it about poo. Who knew you could receive an education and riotous entertainment simultaneously!

We have some wonderful student librarians who volunteer many hours in the library helping to keep it tidy and organised. As a well-deserved treat, they get to spend their lunch with any visiting author. Our student librarians enjoyed intelligent conversation (some might call it interrogation) over cake, and learned lots about the writing process. They were disappointed when it was time to return to lessons as they still had more questions!

To conclude, a member of staff who was at the presentation summed the event up beautifully: “Great fun! He engaged the students and staff alike!”

We’re all looking forward to next year.