Congratulations to our new lecturer in creative writing, Kate Clanchy, who has received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours

Kate Clanchy received the honour for services to literature in schools, in recognition of her work as a Writer in Residence at Oxford Spires Academy.

Over the last nine years, she has nurtured creative talent at the school, whose pupils come from all over the world and where more than 30 languages are spoken. As a result, the school has been hugely successful in poetry competitions, with pupils winning multiple national prizes.

The pupils in Kate’s ‘Very Quiet Foreign Girls’ poetry group, many of whom arrived in the UK as refugees, have also created a radio programme, which was nominated for the Poetry Society’s Ted Hughes Award. Kate has shared their poetry with thousands on Twitter.

The best of the pupils’ poetry is due to be published in a new anthology, England: Poems from a School, on 14 June. The poems create a portrayal of England as it is experienced by young migrants, and features moving personal stories from the pupils.

Kate told the University of Reading: “I was very surprised to be awarded an MBE, but also very pleased. MBEs are for service, and I like to think this one honours my work in schools and so the importance of literature in schools.”