Students across Fairfax Multi‑Academy Trust have been recognised for their creativity and flair after impressing judges in FMAT’s Fabulous Fiction Fest, a Trust‑wide creative writing competition.
The challenge, originally set on World Book Day, invited students to reimagine well‑known characters in completely new stories of up to 500 words.
Across the Trust, entries featured everything from Shakespearean figures to Disney icons and dystopian heroes.
At Fairfax Academy, sixth form student Sophie Rosson was delighted to win first prize with her entry Sonder.
Associate Assistant Principal for English Mrs Ford said: “Sophie has a real passion for the study of English Literature and immerses herself in all of the opportunities the subject offers. To be able to write creatively is a real joy for her and the competition offered her that creative outlet.”
She added that runners‑up Ruby Marriott, Jack Rowlands and Maya Boboaea are also keen writers and have already entered this year’s Eisteddfod Creative Writing competition to have another opportunity to showcase their talent.
All winners across the Trust received £25 book tokens, with runners‑up receiving £10 book tokens to help fuel their passion for reading and writing.
Prize winners’ excerpts:
One who desires the master plays the jester’s hand, whose players are no less useful as they are hypocritical. Fair to the eye, yet far-fetched to the man’s conscience. In my mother’s martyrdom, they had borne me onwards as Elizabeth, whose oath was divine from ensoulment. Before consciousness, I had already become the possession of man beyond my conception. Why is it that we mortals crave this mastery? The words fail and die on my lips, where dust is smitten along my throat’s curvature and incense burns at the pit.
Sonder by Sophie Rosson. Fairfax Y12
In the stagnant depths of the humid July air, Esther’s gaze landed on the reflection in front of her. Reminiscing on the ghosts of a girl she no longer recognized. Every linear crack of the glass revealing a piece of her she’d once lost. With only a scholarship and a borrowed wardrobe covering the little dignity she had left, her mind constantly crawling back to the tree. The tree, a home to hanging green figs; resembling the life she was supposed to crave.
The Bell Jar Reimagined by Maya Boboaea. Fairfax Y9.
Thomas Cruckshank was a small plump man with a small goatee that sat at the bottom of his multiple chins. He had only been a professor at Hogwarts for a few months now and was finding it rather difficult. It was as if he was being pranked, as every time he sat down the room would fill with the sound of farts and burps which was absolutely disgusting. Also, when he tried to do a spell it would backfire making him start floating in the air for the rest of the hour.
The Man in the Hat by Jack Rowlands. Fairfax Y7
