High-level reflective writing inspired by World Book Day

At BVIS, our English curriculum nurtures a love of reading and equips students with the ability to write, read and speak in English with confidence. Our ambition is to expose students to a diverse range of voices, texts, and perspectives in Literature from across the world, developing their cultural capital for them to become true Global Citizens.

We have many students who embody these skills, and Cindy, one of our A-Level scholars, has written a piece about historical fiction that is as mature as it is brilliant.

Cindy (12B) joined us in primary school as a confident student who needed to develop her language proficiency. Across the KS3 curriculum, she showed promise; we worked on honing her analytical skills and creativity. At KS4, we pushed Cindy further, encouraging her to be more precise in her writing and considerate of a writer’s intentions. Through high-quality teaching and by setting high-standards, combined with Cindy’s work-ethic and determination, she secured the Top in Vietnam in IGCSE Literature in English and was awarded the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards (CAIE) by Cambridge Assessment International Education.

This was deserved, but we wanted to push her even more. At A-Level, Cindy has been encouraged to explore Literature through an increasingly mature and sophisticated lens, offering her insights on the power of Literature to reflect social and historical thinking.

Cindy’s reflective writing inspired by World Book Day is an exceptional piece for its cohesion, precise grammar uses and many other reasons. 

“The Importance of Historical Fiction

Imagine this: bodices, corsets, petticoats, armor and royalty. What genre of literature do you instantly think of? If you said historical fiction, you are correct. Often associated with these hacks and cliches, historical fiction is, at times, not even considered to be a separate fictional genre, yet the debate of its categorization should not take away from its undeniable importance to students and the younger generation.
 
You may wonder what the charm and relevance of historical fiction are in the modern era. Part of the answer, I am convinced, lies in the ongoing battle to overcome traumas from the past: reconciling with past transgressions, accepting the past's enduring influence, and understanding the legacies of sexism, imperialism, homophobia, and other issues. Historical fiction enables readers to delve into the inner interiors and psyche of the past while filling in historical gaps and exposing history's human side, in contrast to biography and history, which are limited by the available facts. With good writing and craftsmanship, a single piece can communicate the societal, economical, and political circumstances of the era along side the emotional human experience, exploring the interaction of the out of body and the psyche.
 
Historical fiction highlights the part of history that fascinates me the most: the parts that have been ignored, forgotten, or purposefully omitted. The accounts of marginalised people, such as women, people of colour, and those who lived in the background. Through writing, the same story is lived twice: in the moment and in retrospect, reflecting the mistakes and triumphs of those who have come before us to resonate individual stories. These narratives help me, a young woman of colour, to comprehend the challenges that my past counterparts in revolutionary movements had, which has allowed me to rise to a more privileged position now. The beauty of historical fiction and, personally, its most importance aspect is how it can act as a barometer of how far we’ve come as a society, while simultaneously shining light on the further improvements we can and should make.”

Mr. Oliver Clark, Head of English and Media

“It has been wonderful to teach Cindy, and other students like her. Becoming a skilled writer takes time, dedication and hard-work, and these are fundamentals we try and nurture in all our students. It has been wonderful seeing writers like Cindy blossom into a fantastic writer with a powerful voice, who will go out into the world, seeking to change it and influence it through language.

Cindy will leave here with the tools and confidence to use her exceptional English language skills to be a great success. Well done on a terrific piece that was a very enjoyable read.” - shared by Mr. Oliver Clark, Head of English and Media.