Brooke Weston Academy was thrilled to welcome award-winning author and screenwriter Elle McNicoll for an inspiring visit with our Year 9 and 10 students.

As part of her UK book tour showcasing her latest Young Adult novel, Wish You Were Her, Elle chose BWA as one of the select few schools to visit. Her talk offered students a unique opportunity to hear first-hand about her journey as a writer and screenwriter and as an advocate for better representation of neurodiversity in publishing. Elle also discussed the importance of inclusivity and representation in literature.

Elle captivated the audience with stories from her own school days, sharing her experiences as a neurodivergent student and the challenges she faced. She spoke candidly about how those early challenges shaped her path to becoming a successful author and producer, including her work on the BBC TV adaptation of her debut novel A Kind of Spark.

The session concluded with a Q&A, where students asked thoughtful and original questions. Afterwards, they had the chance to meet and talk to Elle in person, and have their books signed.

Librarian Mrs Mann said, ‘It was a privilege to host Elle McNicoll at BWA. Her visit was not only inspiring but also empowering for our students. She showed them that there is no single path to success and that their voices and stories matter. Thank you also to Chris and Danny from Quinns Bookshop in Market Harborough who organised the sale and distribution of the books for our students to have signed.’

Find out more about Elle and her books here.