BEYOND WORDS FESTIVAL, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE SCHOOL
November 9th to 13th 2009
University College School’s annual Beyond Words Festival is now a well-established star in the festival firmament. Not merely a literature or arts festival, Beyond Words embraces every area of endeavour – including dance, science, music, film-making, cookery, politics, medicine, the media, history, and much more. We have a multitude of events on offer, offering a week of creativity, investigation, physical activity, exhilaration and contemplation.
This year, Beyond Words’ horizons encompasses subjects as diverse as myths and legends, chocolate, the psychology of soldiering, Oxbridge interview conundrums, science and Islam, explosions, European culture, and life-enhancing drugs. There will be workshops on ballet, music, drama and Renaissance drawing techniques. Students whose subject choices have narrowed to the sciences will be encouraged to dip into poetry and etymology; arts students will be able to attend talks on medicine and science; and history will be embraced by all, irrespective of history syllabuses. Our contributors come from many worlds and backgrounds; all are passionate about their work or have a burning desire to convey a message – about MPs' expenses, feminism, Captain Corelli, racism in football, Foucault, quantum physics or female body issues.
Our aim is simple – to inspire and provoke, to entertain and to stimulate, and to provide material for quiet reflection. We want to stretch the boundaries of curricula, to cross academic subject divides, to fire students’ imaginations, and to reflect the exciting world outside the confines of school. In short, we wish to show that education is much more than about passing exams, but a life-enhancing process that opens minds and can provide the seed of a future passion, or even a career.
Last year, in what was the National Year of Reading, Beyond Words set up a bold new venture to encourage reluctant readers: weRead. In a pilot scheme, students from UCS, The Henrietta Barnett School and Hampstead School nominated their favourite book from a shortlist, posted reviews on our weRead website, and met finalist authors at the Festival; the winning author (Marcus Sedgwick) received the weRead Book Award 2008 from Chris Bradford, and prizes were awarded to the best reviewers.
This year, our horizons have expanded to include reviewers from Newcastle under Lyme School, The Thomas Hardye School Dorchester, St Mary's Cambridge, Copthall School Barnet, and St James Catholic High School Barnet. We have a new shortlist of books; a clutch of authors will talk to students throughout Thursday 12th; and we are extremely fortunate to be able to welcome Charlie Higson (author of the very popular Young Bond series) to conclude the weRead Awards.
Beyond Words is not just for students of University College School. We welcome parents and students from other schools; and we open our doors to the wider community. Most events are free; all we ask is that you let us know which event/s you wish to attend, so that we can keep a tally of numbers (space at some venues is limited).
Photo credits: Marianne Lumb (photo Jason Lowe); Ballet Central (photo Patrick Baldwin); Berlin (photo Martin Hitchcock)