Wigan schoolgirl's experience of lockdown inspires her impressive writing

Hindley High School’s religious education department wanted to bring positivity to pupils during the first national lockdown, as well as providing engaging academic work.

So they decided to ask pupils to write about virtues to help them focus on good things, even while many people faced tough times during the pandemic.

Head of religious education Hannah Tomlinson said: “I wanted to set work that would be appropriate and engaging for pupils and support them and their mental health in lockdown.

“Instead of focusing on the news, which could be quite intimidating at the start of lockdown, and the fear factor, we wanted to focus on the good in the world and the positivity.

“As an RE teacher, I wanted to teach the children about different religions and let them reflect and come up with their own values.”

Year nine pupil Evie White wrote an essay about virtues she believes are needed in the world – patience and duty – and the virtues she is trying to put into practice, like hard work, kindness and respect.

She also wrote about admiring NHS workers and her grandparents for their roles in the pandemic, and about learning from Hindu virtues.

Miss Tomlinson said: “I had some brilliant submissions, but it was Evie’s that stood out because it reflected her thanks to public services and the community.”

She decided to submit 13-year-old Evie’s essay to national teaching magazine RE Today, where it has now been published in the spring edition.

Miss Tomlinson said: “Evie is delighted. She is a conscientious student who needs pushing. Hindley High School does really good things for pupils and when we get someone of Evie’s ability I am conscious we are not competing with ourselves or Wigan, we want pupils to be competing nationally.”

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