The prize-winning author Bernard Ashley came to talk to Year 6 about his new book ‘Dead End Kids: heroes of the Blitz’. The book was inspired by the real-life dead End Kids of Wapping who fought fires during the World War II Blitz. Bernard talked about his own experiences as a child in London at that time, including the tragic story of his best friend who was killed when a bomb landed on his house.
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Sian’s Literacy Group was honoured to spend time with Bernard as he explained what life was like for him and his family when he was evacuated to the North-west of England with his brother. His Dad was a firefighter in London, and the separation was difficult for them all. Bernard brought some things with him, including a very old comic and a wooden football rattle…very NOISY!

On Monday 13th June Tanzila Ahmed (Class 12) was awarded the third prize and ‘Best in School’ in the Key stage 2 poetry competition for her poem ‘How I wish…’
The ceremony took place on the 30th floor of the Cliffford Chance building in Canary Wharf. The competition is run by the Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services, and the prizes were presented by the author Kim Slater, whose book ‘Smart’ was last year’s winner of the Tower Hamlets Book Award. As part of her prize, Tanzila will be attending a writers’ workshop with Kim.
This year’s theme was ‘Out of Place’ and was run in conjunction with schools in Syria. Many works referred to the plight of refugees. The Syrian children’s work was written in Arabic, and translated into English by the Syrian author Nadine Kaadan, who was also at the award ceremony. The winning short stories and poems will be published as an ebook, and later, we hope, in hard copies.
Tanzila was accompanied by her proud Mum, her sister Ambia (Class 1), and our equally proud librarian Sue Dearie.
 
Tanzila’s poem:
How I wish…
 
Yummy dinners such as roasts with delicious drinks to wash it down with…
                            How I wish I had scrumptious foods to eat.
            Blankets and pillows a shield of comfort, security to protect me…
                         How I wish I had comfort and a shield of safety…
Attending school, getting good grades and a scholarship, a job. .Earning money.
                               How I wish I had a chance to go to school…
                                                A Home to live in.
                                          How I wish I had a home…
                  My family the best jewel of all now breaking to nothing…
                                          How I wish I had a family…