Key Stage 2 and 3

A Poetry performance
A performance for selected pupils or a whole schools assembly - John makes poetry come to life and leave everyone talking about the power of words

Poetry workshop
using great examples of poetry and getting your pupils writing John will work to fit your learning outcomes and the curriculum needs in a way that is fun and challenging, open your pupil's eyes to the potential of poetry. For children who are more experienced writers there will be new challenges, techniques and inspirations to open up their writing.

The senses
Writing isn't just about thinking, take a trip around the body and mind in this workshop, and learn how smell and memory, touch and imagination, sound, sight and taste all can help bring about fresh, meaningful writing.

Emotional literacy
Looking at taking one's place in society. Exploring identity, feelings, relationships, and politics in its widest sense. moving from the inner world, into the home and family setting, and then out into the wider world.

Visual arts and creative writing
Using the visual arts as a trigger these sessions will produce new and exciting work; this workshop uses work by artists or by the pupils to open areas of exploration. This workshop makes a fantastic excuse to get out and visit a gallery or space, or get the paints out and create our own art.

Write a book in a day, a week, a month
Write, create & illustrate a book in one day (or longer if you like.) This session requires John to work with one group through the day. In the morning we will write pieces and create pictures and in the afternoon we will put the booklet together. This session looks at writing, editing and choices of material, and leaves a legacy of finished work for staff and pupils to be proud of.

Make a poetry film
Using video, stills, time lapse photography, hand drawn graphics and whatever comes to hand, we will create group and individual writings which will use to make a short movie. At the end of the day we'll settle back and watch our masterpiece. The school will get a DVD of the film to keep.

Who Am I
A workshop designed to show how we are each a product of a culture and are uniquely ourselves, looking at peer pressure, conformity, pride, the urge toward historical bias and the right to be ourselves using writing techniques and discussion.

Key Stage 4

The Principles of creative writing - A day workshop for year 12
Creative writing is a very different skill from getting ready for GCSE English and requires a reorientation of ideas to make the changes to produce good course work. In this workshop John will introduce your students to the key principles of creative writing, which are not taught in schools and yet are the foundations of truly being creative with writing and literature. The workshop is a full day in length for up to twenty students, the day is dynamic and fun, leading to a permanent change in relationship to the creation and transformation of writings, and can serve as the foundations for work to be used as part of their assessment.

These are to give you idea of what John does, he is happy to discuss your needs and create workshops especially for your children. John is also happy to run INSET sessions to help staff deliver poetry in new and exciting ways.