A talented Lower Sixth student at King Henry VIII School, Matilda, has achieved national recognition after securing third place in a prestigious creative writing competition hosted by Oxford University.

Her evocative and poignant piece, written from the perspective of a forgotten figure on an ancient vase, captured the judges’ attention with its emotional depth and powerful imagery. Through the voice of a static, immortalised character, Matilda explores themes of memory, identity and the passage of time.

An excerpt from her winning piece reads:

“I sit here, on this stool, for eternity. The words ‘the boy is beautiful’ forever carved above my head… Surrounded by nothing but darkness. It’s lonely really. No one else is here, I am alone. Alone with a helmet and my tools for company.”

Matilda’s work stood out among hundreds of entries submitted by students across the UK. Her creative monologue invites readers to reflect on how history reduces individuals to fragments and artefacts, asking what it means to be remembered – or forgotten.

Speaking about her success, Matilda said she was “thrilled and honoured” to be recognised by such a prestigious institution and hopes to continue exploring storytelling through different perspectives in future writing.

Matilda’s English teacher has praised her accomplishment. “We are absolutely delighted with Matilda’s prize. Her short story is an interesting, inventive and beautifully constructed narrative that combines Matilda’s love of English and the Classical World. She is a fabulous student who is a joy to teach and a real credit to the school. Matilda is well suited for studying English at university level and we know her competition outcome will look impressive on her imminent UCAS form.”

The competition, run annually by the University, encourages young writers to engage creatively with themes drawn from history, literature and art. Matilda’s piece is a testament to the power of imagination and the timelessness of a well-told story.