Module overview
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- the process of writing a novel or script for children or young people
- the qualities of a successful work for children or young people
- the marketplace, target audiences, and age ranges for specific works
- a range of contemporary works for children and young people and the stylistic and structural devices employed by their authors
- the role of agents and editors in the publishing industry and the routes towards publication
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- write fiction/drama for particular age-groups of children and young people
- analyse and understand a range of texts for children and young people
- plan, structure, edit and improve your work
- give and receive constructive criticism
- confidently present your work to small groups of your peers
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- written a complete short story, script or opening of a novel or script for children
- written a synopsis of your work in progress and a covering letter to a potential agent, producer or publisher
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- look critically at your own work in order to edit it and rewrite it as necessary to achieve a professional standard
- evaluate and offer constructive criticism on the work of your fellow students
Syllabus
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Independent Study | 130 |
| Teaching | 20 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Yarrow Townsend (2022). The Map of Leaves. Chicken House.
Ella Dove (2025). How To Roller-Skate with One Leg. Orchard Books.
Patrice Lawrence (2019). Diver's Daughter: A Tudor Story. Scholastic.
Katherine Applegate (2012). One and Only Ivan. Harper Collins Children's Books.
Nazneen Ahmed Pathak (2023). City of Stolen Magic . Puffin.
Melissa See (2022). You, Me, and Our Heartstrings. Scholastic Press.
Simon James Green (2019). Alex in Wonderland. Scholastic.
Louise Jordan (2010). How To Write for Children: And Get Published. Piatkus Books.
Kate DiCamillo (2014). Flora and Ulysses . Walker Books.
Nathanael Lessore (2024). King of Nothing. Hot Key Books.
Lex Croucher (2023). Gwen and Art Are Not in Love. Bloomsbury YA.
Sophie Anderson (2019). The Girl Who Speaks Bear. Usborne Publishing Ltd.
Assessment
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Written assignment | 75% |
| Critical commentary | 25% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Resubmit assessments | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Assessed written tasks | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal