9th December 2025
St Brendan’s Sixth Form College is celebrating the outstanding achievements of three English Literature students who excelled at this year’s Clifton LitFest Young Adult Writing Competition 2025.
Emma was awarded Winner of the Year 12–13 Non-Fiction and Allegory Category, while her classmates Sophia and Sophie were named Runners-up in the Fiction Category.
Emma originally entered her piece into the Fiction category, but the LitFest judges felt its themes were more closely aligned with Non-Fiction and Allegory, reclassifying it before awarding her first place. Reflecting on her experience, Emma said:
“The competition was a great opportunity for me to hone my writing skills.”
The prize-giving ceremony took place at Clifton Public Library on Saturday 15th November, where an excerpt from each student's essay was read by award-winning actor Paul McGann, making the moment even more memorable for students and families in attendance.
Clifton Litfest 2025 Winners: Emma, Sophia and Sophie along with actor Paul McGann and teacher, Hetty Brown
English teacher Hetty Brown shared her thoughts on the students’ achievements, praising both their creativity and the individuality of their work:
“I am very impressed, but not surprised, to hear that Emma, Sophia and Sophie have been short-listed for their stories. They are all so different in relation to the theme of The Library.”
She went on to highlight the unique qualities of each piece:
“Emma's was a dark and troubling dystopian story of a world where libraries have been outlawed and a group of children break into a library.”
“Sophia’s description of the library as an extended metaphor for an elderly lady's mind was so powerful it brought tears to the eyes!”
“Sophie’s was a poetic, impressionistic description of a man in a library, reminiscent of the stunning prose of Virginia Woolf.”
The Clifton LitFest competition is known for attracting exceptional young writers from across the region, making the success of all three St Brendan’s students a remarkable achievement. Their dedication, creativity and passion for English Literature shone through, earning them well-deserved recognition.
The College is incredibly proud of Emma, Sophia and Sophie, and looks forward to seeing how their writing continues to flourish in the future.
Learn more about our A level English Language & Literature and English Literature courses.
