From Local Writers to Young Voices: Transforming Engagement in Reading and Writing

At Blue Jay, we believe stories are powerful. They shape how we see ourselves, how we connect with others, and how communities grow. That belief sits at the heart of our founder, Heather James - a practitioner-researcher in further education and a passionate advocate for inclusive, creative learning.

Heather is one of seven scholars funded by UCU to research transformative teaching and learning in further education through the Transforming Lives project. Her work focuses on a group of learners often overlooked in educational discourse: students sometimes referred to as “the forgotten third.”

“These are young people who are still required to study English, but who are rarely centred in conversations about what meaningful, engaging learning actually looks like for them,” Heather explains. “My research is about listening to their experiences and taking those experiences seriously.”

Giving Voice to the “Forgotten Third”

The “forgotten third” are students resitting GCSE English, typically aged 16–18, who did not achieve a grade 4 pass the first time. Many have experienced repeated disengagement, low confidence, or a sense that English is something done to them rather than something they can own, enjoy, or use creatively.

Heather’s research examines how these students experience learning English at GCSE level and interrogates the notion of cultural capital - particularly the texts students are asked to study.

“I’m really interested in whose knowledge counts in the classroom,” Heather says. “What happens when the texts on the course don’t reflect students’ cultures, languages, or lived experiences? And what becomes possible when they do?”

By challenging long-held assumptions about curriculum and value, Heather opens space for more inclusive, culturally responsive approaches to teaching English.

Reclaiming English as a Creative Tool

A key part of Heather’s practice is introducing local writers to students resitting GCSE English. These writers reflect the cultural richness of Birmingham - many use multiple languages in their work and write from diverse community perspectives.

“For some students, this is the first time they’ve met a writer who feels relatable,” Heather reflects. “It shifts something. English stops being about what they can’t do and starts becoming something they can experiment with, enjoy, and shape for themselves.”

The response from authors has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive. Writers like Amer Anwar, Amber Lone, and M Y Alam met students in the classroom, answering questions about their journeys and how they became writers. These interactions allow students to see that writing is accessible, achievable, and deeply connected to their own lives.

For young people who may have felt excluded by traditional English education, this approach can be transformative. Heather has seen improvements in engagement, confidence, and willingness to take creative risks.

“When students realise their own voices matter - that their stories are worth telling - their relationship with learning changes. They start to see English as something they can have fun with, not something to fear.”

Building Bridges Through Story

Heather’s work benefits not only students but also the wider creative community. By connecting local writers with young people, her approach builds new audiences for writers and strengthens creative networks across the city.

“It’s not a one-way process,” Heather notes. “Writers gain new audiences, students gain new role models, and communities become more connected through shared stories.”

This reciprocal exchange reflects Blue Jay’s wider ethos: using creativity to bring people together, enhance understanding, and diversify engagement in education and the arts.

“Storytelling has the power to build bridges,” Heather says. “When we create space for different voices, languages, and perspectives, education becomes a place of belonging rather than exclusion.”

Transformative Teaching in Action

Heather’s research contributes to a growing body of work showing how transformative teaching can reshape not just outcomes, but identities and futures.

“Transformative teaching isn’t about lowering expectations,” Heather emphasises. “It’s about re-imagining what success looks like and recognising the richness students already bring into the room.”

At Blue Jay, this philosophy underpins everything we do - from filmmaking with Birmingham’s brightest creatives to collaborative community projects that celebrate every voice.

“My hope,” Heather adds, “is that education can become a space where young people don’t just pass exams, but discover their voices and their place in the world.”

Local Stories in the Classroom

A central strand of Heather’s work involves bringing the writing of local authors directly into the classroom. Encountering stories that feel recognisable, relevant, and rooted in their own communities transforms how students engage with learning.

For example, Amer Anwar’s crime thriller Brothers in Blood immediately resonates with learners, inspiring them to experiment with writing in ways that reflect how they and their communities actually communicate. Mock exam papers using extracts from Amber Lone and Sharon Duggal’s work allow students to practise exam skills while engaging with texts that feel meaningful rather than distant.

“For many students, this is the first time they’ve felt permission to bring their full linguistic selves into their writing. It validates who they are and how they speak.”

Removing Barriers, Building Confidence

When students can relate to characters and situations in stories, engagement becomes natural. Reading comprehension improves, confidence grows, and motivation increases. Barriers that once stood in the way of progress begin to fall.

“This kind of engagement isn’t about simplifying learning,” Heather says. “It’s about making space for relevance, connection, and authenticity - and that’s where real progress happens.”

Heather James’ work at Blue Jay reminds us that education is at its best when it empowers students to explore, create, and see themselves in the stories they encounter - and, most importantly, to tell their own.