Clapton Girls’ Academy wins award as Carnegie shortlister Kate Saunders hails ‘sophisticated response to novel’

Proud recipients: Clapton Girls’ Academy wins the Hackney Carnegie Award

Nine students from Clapton Girls’ Academy have scooped a prestigious award for their dramatic response to a novel.

They were taking part in the Hackney Carnegie event, which took place at Petchey Academy on 16 June, alongside students from 11 other Hackney schools.

The event, organised by Hackney Learning Trust, saw each school allocated one of the books from the Carnegie shortlist.

The students then prepared presentations to be performed in front of the 11 other schools, and a panel of five judges including author Kate Saunders (a Carnegie shortlister).

Clapton Girls’ Academy Year 9 and 10 students Yasmin Mamoud, Maddi Diggins, Eve McBride, Alice Wallace, Matilda Mendick, Esta Mac Innes, Maddi Vass and Habibatu Kamara, spent many hours throughout March in preparation.

They researched the history of the Carnegie Award and read other shortlisted titles and gave presentations to each other.

The group was awarded first prize for their presentation of The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness.

Their presentation took the form of a dramatic scripted response to the novel.

English teacher Kate Philips said: “The girls were awarded first prize for their dramatic response to the novel. Their performance and sophisticated response to the novel was highly praised by the judges.”

Headteacher Cheryl Day said: “It is fantastic news that Clapton Girls’ Academy won the Carnegie Award this year. As usual both students and staff worked extremely hard but also with a great deal of creativity to prepare for this event. They are deserving winners!”