By Ms Emberson (Head of PSHE)

On Monday, Year 8 welcomed Nicola Morgan to BGS. Nicola is the author of over 100 books, with more than 1.3 million copies sold in English. Her work explores topics such as stress, peer pressure, friendship, and the science of the developing brain, earning her the nickname The Teenage Brain Woman. She has travelled widely, speaking to teenagers and parents around the world.

During her visit, Nicola was interviewed by student volunteers Bella P, Samantha N, Jaya L and Tiana N in front of their peers. The girls posed thoughtful questions, including “How fast can the brain make new neural pathways?” and “Why do the smallest things sometimes make me feel annoyed?”, which Nicola answered in a factual yet highly relatable way.

The session concluded with a fun interactive game, and three lucky students received signed copies of Nicola’s books.

Nicola has been a regular virtual speaker at BGS since 2020, engaging both students and parents. This marked her first in-person visit, and we were delighted to welcome her to the school. We are also very pleased that she has agreed to return next year to speak again to both students and parents.

Bella Poderoso (Year 8) said: “It was such an amazing opportunity to not only speak to but interact with an author who has written so many books on teenagers. It felt really nice to talk to someone who specialises in this field and you know you can trust her answers and her research. I am so grateful for being chosen to have this amazing opportunity.”

More information about Nicola Morgan's work and writing can be found on her website here.