There was an exciting start to the new half term for many students in the English Department.
On Monday 19th February, the Year 13 English Literature students, accompanied by Mrs Pepin, enjoyed a Shared Education trip to the Heaney Homeplace, with their counterparts from Coleraine Grammar School. As well as enjoying the permanent exhibition at the Homeplace, the students had a lecture from Dr Frank Ferguson of Ulster University and a seminar with a PhD student which involved a workshop on several of the Heaney and Frost poems from their AS Level Anthology.
On Tuesday 20th February, the English Department was delighted to welcome Professor Jan Jędrzejewski from Ulster University, who presented an excellent talk on Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein to AS Level English Literature students along with Mrs Little. Afterwards, Professor Jędrzejewski gave an informative talk to Year 12 and 13 Literature students about the study possibilities available in the English Faculty at Ulster University.
To round off an exciting week, the Year 11 English Literature students, accompanied by Mrs Little and Miss Kelly, spent Wednesday 21st February at the John Steinbeck Festival in the Roe Valley Arts Centre, Limavady. While there, they listened to an excellent lecture about their GCSE set text, Of Mice And Men, as well as enjoying a screening of the film version of the book on the big screen, finding out about the local connection of author John Steinbeck, and listening to music from the Dustbowl era, performed by Allan Nicholl.
With more plans in the pipeline for the weeks ahead, it has certainly been a stimulating start to 2024 for our English students!
