Multi-School Author Events a Huge Success

Today, we were delighted to welcome best-selling, award-winning author of the Skandar series, A.F. Steadman, to Valley Invicta Academies Trust (VIAT) for a truly inspiring day of creativity and imagination.

Delivered in partnership with Maidstone Literary Festival, the event brought together around 700 Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 students from across not only our own schools, but also from schools outside VIAT, for two engaging author talks.

The feedback from staff and students has been overwhelmingly positive. From the moment A.F. took to the stage, students were completely captivated as she shared the story behind her books, her journey to becoming an author and the determination and creativity that helped turn her ideas into a hugely successful writing career.

As we celebrate the National Year of Reading, opportunities like this are more important than ever. Reading has the power to broaden horizons, spark curiosity and inspire young people to think differently about their future. It was wonderful to see so many students fully engaged, asking insightful questions and leaving with a renewed enthusiasm for books and storytelling.

At VIAT, we are genuinely passionate about creating opportunities that enrich learning beyond the classroom and inspire our young people to dream big. We hope that hearing A.F. Steadman's story will encourage students to embrace their creativity, pursue their ambitions and recognise that with imagination, perseverance and hard work, extraordinary things are absolutely possible.