In our fourth of a new series of conversations across genres, styles and perspectives, Orwell shortlisted writers Kate Clanchy and Rachel Sylvester discuss the similarities between their work, the relationship between social inequality and education during the current pandemic, and selfexpression through writing. The winners of all four Orwell Prizes will be revealed via our online Prize Ceremony on Thursday 9th July 2020.

SOME KIDS I TAUGHT AND WHAT THEY TAUGHT ME
Kate Clanchy
Shortlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing 2020
Published by: Picador

The judges said: "In this book, a brilliantly honest writer tackles a subject that ties so many people up in knots – education and how it is inexorably dominated by class. Yet this is the very opposite of a worthy lecture: Clanchy's reflections on teaching and the stories of her students are moving, funny, full of love and offer sparkling insights into modern British society."

Kate Clanchy is a writer, teacher and journalist. Her poetry collection Slattern won a Forward Prize. Her short story ‘The NotDead and the Saved’ won both the 2009 BBC National Short Story Award and the VS Pritchett Memorial Prize. Her novel Meeting the English was shortlisted for the Costa Prize. Her BBC 3 radio programme about her work with students was shortlisted for the Ted Hughes prize. In 2018 she was awarded an MBE for services to literature, and an anthology of her students’ work, England: Poems from a School, was published to great acclaim.

KNIFE CRIME AND EXCLUSIONS
Rachel Sylvester (The Times)
Shortlisted for The Orwell Prize for Exposing Britain's Social Evils 2020

The judges said: “Rachel Sylvester tackles the intersecting social evils of knife crime and school exclusions in a series of rigorously investigated and beautifully executed articles exposing the impact on the children themselves and society as a whole. Sylvester reveals the impact of inadequate regulation and investment and suggests a way forward by highlighting initiatives that have succeeded to bring about lasting change in the lives of some of our most vulnerable children.”

In a series of articles published over several months in the comment pages of The Times and the Times Magazine, Rachel investigated the link between the rise in school exclusions and knife crime. She joined Ofsted inspectors on an illegal unregistered alternative provision primary school and interviewed those working in pupil referral units to reveal the failings in that sector and how it could be improved. She also spoke to policymakers and politicians about the underlying causes of gang culture. The articles revealed how the education system is abandoning the most vulnerable children with appalling social consequences.