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Happy 2019 to everyone I know!

Latest news

• The Royal Literary Fund

  I have been been a Fellow of the Royal Literacy Fund, teaching literacy at Worcester University since 2017 and I am delighted to stay on there. I very much enjoy my work. It’s useful above all else. Teaching someone to write a decent essay is like teaching them how to ride a bicycle. Once they get the hang of it, they are off!

  09 January 2019

• World Book Day: Kempsey Primary School Style, March 2017

  

  Kempsey Primary School is a school on the move. It’s large and popular and growing fast. WBD was a fine sunny day. The children were all excited and some were wearing amazing costumes. I knew it was going to be a special day when the chair I was given to sit on in front of a crowd of six year olds collapsed and everyone thought it was part of the fun! Including me. After I picked myself up off of the floor. I talked to lots of different age groups about all kinds of things and many of the children asked very interesting questions. It was a great visit.
  Thanks to Andrew for setting it all up.

  07 March 2017

• A grand wintry day at Ashdown House School, January 2017

  

  It was cold and frosty outside but inside the school was warm and full of happy children. We talked about all sorts of things and I was particularly pleased to meet the school’s pet turkeys! It was a lovely day.

  23 January 2017

• Four Fabulous Days at Marlbrook School in Hereford, April, 2016

  

  Marlbrook School is a big, busy primary school. There are so many children, I spent four days there to make sure I spoke to them all. ‘Brilliant!” was the word that went round. We talked about everything including how crocodiles see underwater. “Do they wear goggles?” I asked a Year One class. “Don’t be silly!” replied a clever boy with red hair. “They have a special membrane which covers their eye.”
  And he was right. They do!
  Thanks for asking me.

  20 April 2016

• A grand sunny day at Bredenbury Primary School, March 11 2016

  

  There are barely more than fifty pupils at Bredenbury Primary School but it feels like a big, buzzy place. It was a lovely Spring day when I visited and the children were fired up and excited. We talked about all kinds of interesting things from tiger markings to sky scrapers and what freedom means to different people. All to do with books, of course! Thanks for asking me.

  12 March 2016

• A lovely day with Dawley Primary School, March 10, 2016

  

  Dawley Primary is an old village school full of bright children with lots of up to date ideas. The children loved talking about everything from books to ice cream makers and what crocodiles eat for breakfast. It was a grand day. Thanks to Cathro Bun, the Assistant Head teacher, for asking me.

  12 March 2016

• A Book Week visit with Hampden Dene Primary School, March 8, 2016

  

  It was an exciting day at Hampden Dene Primary School in Hereford. I talked to all the children about books and at the end of the day, led an Arts Workshop with Year 5 & 6. We looked at a painting and made up stories of what we saw. There were lots of stories about murderers and bomb throwers! Never a dull moment!

  12 March 2016

• A Super day with the Betty Layward Primary School, March 4, 2016

  

  I had a great day with the children at the Betty Layward Primary School in Stoke Newington in London. It really was one of the brightest, buzziest schools I have visited. One little girl told me the school, ‘was the best place in the world!’ And one enterprising teacher lived on a narrow boat!

  12 March 2016

• Discover Arts Award Day at Nottingham Central Library, March 3 2016

  

  What an exciting World Book Day! Ninety children from three local schools came to Nottingham Central Library with picnics and we talked about books and how to write stories. We looked at an amazing painting and each child made up a story about it. There were banks robbers, martians and zombies to choose from! And it was all part of the Discovering Arts Award. A brilliant time was had by all!

  12 March 2016

• On a freezing foggy day, it was bright and warm inside Madley Primary School

  

  What a lovely school! All the children were keen and interested and asked very good questions. One teacher said, ‘It was an inspirational visit’.
  I am delighted to be asked to visit again in the summer

  21 January 2016