In an age of instant messaging and TikTok trends, you might not expect teenagers to be asking for pen pals – but that’s exactly what’s happening at Westhoughton High School.
Rose Hiles, teacher of English and Philosophy at the high school, is spearheading a unique project that aims to revive the lost art of letter writing, pairing today’s pupils with members of the local community. The idea? To exchange letters, stories, poems and photographs that offer a glimpse into each other’s school days – then and now.
The project hopes to recruit 30 local volunteers, ideally those with a few school reports of their own tucked away in the attic. Participants are encouraged to share memories from their own time at school, and in return, they’ll receive thoughtful letters from the next generation about what school life is like in 2025.
