Oenone Crossley-Holland

Oenone Crossley-Holland (2002, English) wrote as the fortnightly ‘New Girl’ columnist for The Guardian from 2006-2008. Her book Hands Up! A Year in the Life of an Inner City School Teacher was published by John Murray in 2010. It featured in the Edinburgh International Book Festival that year.

After graduating from the Hall, Oenone went to teach English at an Inner City school in South London, as part of the ‘Teach First’ scheme. (‘Teach First’ was launched in 2002 as an independent charity with the aim of encouraging graduates to teach for two years in deprived areas and schools.)

Oenone drew on her’Teach First’  experience when writing her book, Hands Up! A Year in the Life of an Inner City School Teacher, which vividly records her impressions of the classroom during her second year of involvement in the scheme.

A Celebration of Writing at the Hall 2013

Oenone gave a poetry reading with her father, Kevin Crossley-Holland, which you can listen to here.

Where next?

Creative Writing

View Page

English Language and Literature

Undergraduate course page

View Subject