It was an early start to get to Marsden Primary in Nelson. I hadn’t visited before, so I was especially excited.
The morning started with an author assembly. Marsden is quite a large school, but we fitted the 240 Key Stage 2 pupils into the hall. The children discovered how the stories are created and found out how Martin creates his mind-blowing illustrations. They listened really well as I finished the session with a performance of one of the new Impossible Tales.
After catching my breath, I headed to the library to set up for the writing sessions. The first group were fantastic! The children had read ‘Blown Away’ from the original collection of Tales, so we spent time focusing on the ending. The pupils pulled it apart and then planned their own alternative versions. The ideas were fab and it was a joy to see the pupils develop them in a first draft. I look forward to reading the final versions.
The second group of pupils looked at an unpublished piece about a nasty character. The children spent time ‘pinching’ ideas from my piece before they planned out their own versions. The pupils were really enthusiastic about the task and it was great to work with them. After making a start on their first draft, we just had time to hear some of the children’s writing. Wow! The first drafts were brill and I can’t wait to see the finished pieces after they have been through the editing process.
I had a cracking time at Marsden Primary and I’d like to thank Mrs Charlesworth for inviting me along. The pupils and staff made me feel welcome and valued and it was a pleasure to spend a morning with them.