Young authors from St Mary’s Church of England School in Writhlington, Roundhill Primary School in Bath and Castle Primary School in Keynsham received a special visit from children’s author, Stewart Foster, last term to celebrate the publication of their ‘out-of-this-world’ book The Day the Alien Came.
Supported by St John’s Foundation, Mr Foster worked with 192 local schoolchildren from seven schools to tell the story of a young alien, Jai, and his Grampy who crash land their UFO in Bath. Last month he re-visited each participating school with his dog Dex to launch the book and gift a copy to the school’s library.
Talking of the writing experience, Seb from Year 6 at St Mary’s said, “Stewart Foster was so inclusive. He didn’t care if your handwriting was messy or if some ideas weren’t fully there yet. He wanted to read them all. He was very inspirational and told me to keep writing. Now I have started writing my own book which I hope will be published into something great one day.”
Teacher Cameron Webb from Castle Primary School added, “What makes this book truly special is our pupils’ contribution of imagination and enthusiasm for writing.”
St Mary’s Church of England School, Roundhill Primary School and Castle Primary are supported by The Partnership Trust, a Multi-Academy Trust of primary and special schools across Bath and Somerset.
Emily Massey, CEO of the Trust said, “Congratulations to all the young authors whose creative writing has made this book so special. The collaboration with Stewart Foster has really sparked their imagination and we’re so proud of what they have achieved. The schools have been working with St John’s Foundation since 2020 and this initiative is just one of a range that has supported and enhanced the children’s experiences and outcomes.”
Catharine Brown, CEO of St John’s Foundation, expressed how much this project means to the charity. “We are delighted to celebrate our 850th anniversary and mark this occasion by creating something that positively impacts our community and leaves a legacy for the future. Every child contributed something unique, turning this story into a whirlwind of imagination. We’re so proud to share their work with the world.”