Another Autumn term has drawn to a close and what a cracker it’s been! I’ve visited loads of schools across the North West working with thousands of children, delivered storytelling sessions in libraries and even participated in a community project in Rochdale. I’m going to take some time out over Christmas to rest and recharge…
It’s always great to spend time in lots of fab libraries whilst the schools are closed for the summer holidays and this year were no different. I held writing workshops for Blackpool libraries and Lancashire libraries and performed my stories at some of their libraries too. Big thanks to the staff at Palatine Library, Moor…
Most of my writing workshops take place with KS2 children or high school students. Occasionally, I am asked to write with KS1 pupils. When Mrs Kippax asked me to work with her Y1 pupils as part of their ‘Awesome Authors’ topic, I jumped at the chance. The theme for the morning was pirates. To start…
I was excited to make two trips to Benjamin Hargreaves CE Primary, Accrington, in September. The first morning visit started with a KS2 author assembly. The children listened brilliantly as I explained the events of the last five years in forty minutes! I even managed to put on the storytelling waistcoat to share an Impossible…
Carleton Green is a short walk from my home and it’s a school I’ve built great links with over the last five years. It was lovely to return to be part of their ‘Reading Day’, which kicked off with a storytelling assembly with Year 3 – 6. There was a dragon theme for the day,…
It had been a couple of years since my last visit to Chaucer Primary, Fleetwood, so I was excited about returning. The morning kicked off with an author assembly for KS2. I explained the writing process and showed the children how the illustrations are created by Martin. The session finished with a performance of one…
It had been over two years since my last visit to Stanah, so it was great to return for a trio of visits. The first visit kicked off the week. I shared my writing adventure with Years 3 – 6 in morning assembly. The children discovered how a book is made from initial daydreaming to…
This was my final trip of the academic year to the east Lancashire area. I hadn’t visited Rosewood before, which made it that extra bit exciting. The school is two-form entry so the hall was really full when the pupils had taken their places. The subsequent assembly allowed me to promote reading for pleasure and explain…
St Francis’ Primary is a small, rural school in Goosnargh, near Preston. This was my first visit to the school so I kicked off proceedings with an author assembly. All of the children attended, from Foundation Stage to Year 6. It was an absolute joy to share my writing adventure as the children listened intently.…
It was great to spend three mornings at Carleton Green Primary, a school literally round the corner from my house! The Year 5/6 pupils were studying the Amazon rainforest so I used a jungle-themed adventure opener as a writing stimulus. The text included lots of setting description along with plenty of mystery and tension. I…