WRITING DAYS - these can focus on fiction or non-fiction
I keep being invited back to schools so have created lots of flexible activities. Usually, I introduce the whole school, one key stage at a time, to the day's theme. These are interactive sessions with loads of props, children sharing with each other and taking votes as to which way stories and ideas should go.
Children return to class bases to work on ideas generated during the opening session leaving me to work with individual classes - press the 'Class Workshops' icon for more information.
I am happy to craft a day to suit a school's particular learning needs. My garden hosts a voluminous shed called Heatherton House. It's full of props and visitors to our house (if they behave themselves) are allowed to explore it. I love what I do - it's the best job in the world...
Here are some examples of what schools have done recently.
FOR 'MEET A WRITER' DAYS... (these sessions are for classes/year groups only)
When our sons were little they would often collect different objects from around the house and bring them to me. We would then use them to make up stories - with the boys acting the story out as it progressed. I share one of these stories and show the original props with younger children before looking at the book it has since been published in. With older pupils I share something I am currently working on, explain how the ideas started and how the characters found their identities during the many edits the text has been through.
FOR WHOLE SCHOOL WRITING DAYS READ ON...
1. PROFESSOR PRAGUE
ALL IN THE HALL: Professor Prague can fly anywhere. His last four excursions have seen him crash in to Jack's beanstalk, skid across a gravel pit, startle bees buzzing round a Dutch flower farm and arrest a jewel thief on a construction site. Wherever he lands, 5 part stories emerge.
BACK IN CLASS: create further stories. This day is great for work on settings, characters and story structure. Often children make 3D models of where the professor lands before they begin writing. 2. CIRCUS STORIES
ALL IN THE HALL: children look at circus characters and create story ideas about them. Having written a teachers' resource book about circuses I have lots of ideas both for fiction and non-fiction writing.
BACK IN CLASS: create circuses, characters who work in them and the fiction or non-fiction they suggest. Clowns, human cannons and elephants are usually popular choices. Often children role play circus skills (with quoits, balls and hoops). The website www.circushistory.org is worth a visit. 3. DICING WITH DRAGONS
ALL IN THE HALL: a castle and a dragon's paw are the focus to create stories where random objects in bags are used to generate ideas. Both boys and girls love this day which usually ends up with fiesty princesses and castle characters befriending dragons. Killing is banned, as are ideas from electrically powered boxes or screens.
BACK IN CLASS: design and make dragons and dragon habitats, rerun the bag activity modelled in the first session* and record ideas for stories as story boards ready to write.
*if choosing this entry point, you will need a die, 6 bags and 10 random objects. Note also that I can show you how to make the castle in the picture as well as other interesting ways to publish writing.
4. CHARACTER CAFE
ALL IN THE HALL: characters (ie child volunteers) meet in a cafe. They are dressed up and given personalities. Each chooses an envelope with a short piece of non-fiction inside it. The characters and 'random' non-fiction ideas are then woven in to a story. So if a school is focussing on mythical creatures during Book Week, all the non-fiction can relate to that. This introduction can be taken in so many different directions, developing both fiction and non-fiction ideas.
BACK IN CLASS: create non fiction writing to be put in envelopes, create the characters who frequent the café and the café itself. Then repeat the opening session and write the story that emerges.
5. EDITING SPACE
ALL IN THE HALL: children find out about the pivotal role an editor plays in the process of making a book before thinking about astronauts, aliens and their habitats. Children are encouraged to see themselves as editors creating a published story book. BACK IN CLASS: children create space ships, astronauts, planets, aliens and their habitats before writing. They then make a book and publish their story. 6. TALKING OF ELEPHANTS
ALL IN THE HALL: children act out a story about a baby elephant that is swept away in a mud slide and rescued by another elephant. The initial emphasis of this day is on speaking, listening and role play.
BACK IN CLASS: working in small groups children create and act out stories that include elephants. One from each class is chosen to share with the school in a final assembly.
7. WORLD OF STORIES
ALL IN THE HALL, ONE CLASS/YEAR GROUP AT A TIME: children interact with stories from different parts of the world. I have 7 stories from 7 different parts of the world and, if appropriate, can anchor the telling in to 5 part story writing.
BACK IN CLASS: Children retell, manipulate, draw and rewrite stories. Later, these are edited and published in interesting ways and shared with other children.
8. PARTYING PIRATES ALL IN THE HALL: as a school we create a story about pirates to familiarise vocabulary and generate writing ideas. I wrote a teachers' resource book based on pirates so have lots of ideas to help the day be really productive.
BACK IN CLASS: create islands and pirates, noting good words to use in writing. Lots of schools dress up as pirates and include role play as part of their day.
9. ISLANDS OF INFORMATION
ALL IN THE HALL: a parachute becomes an island with different buildings on it. Children think of non-fiction writing that could be found on the island such as messages in bottles, pirate maps, menus, lists, newspaper articles. This day places non-fiction writing in to creative contexts.
BACK IN CLASS: create an island and mark on where non-fiction writing can be found - then write the non-fiction.
10. DAHL DIARIES/DIARY DAY
ALL IN THE HALL: children sit round the numbers of a clock face. At 8 o'clock, clothes designer Jeremy Pointer (or another character) is preparing to go to an art exhibition (possibly Quentin Blake's) at Pudding Lane Art gallery. He needs to be inspired for his new collection. At 9.30 he is at the bus stop where he meets other characters (possibly Mrs Twit). At 11.15 he is looking at masterpieces in the gallery. At 12.30 he meets someone else (possibly the BFG). This day was origianlly created to tie in with Roald Dahl's writing. However, it works with any fictional or non-fictional characters children have been finding out about. It creates a fun, cross-curricular entry point to writing. I have detailed, differentiated lesson plans available for years 5/6 if following the Dahl theme. Alternatively, the main character can be created by the children who use a series of questions to develop a story.
BACK IN CLASS: children write diaries of Jeremy Pointer's day, including all the characters he met. They can also write menus for the art gallery's cafe (eg stewed eye balls), annotated clothes designs, explanations and descriptions to accompany artwork, advertising posters and adverts, time tables, brochures.
11. WISTON HILL
ALL IN THE HALL: 6 houses, 6 pets, 6 random props, 6 pieces of garden furniture and 6 characters are mixed together to create stories. This is a really random and creative day and is currently my favourite. NB - all the above days have been my favourite, too, at one point.
BACK IN CLASS: create the characters, buildings, pets, props then make your own stories up. I have some scaffolded worksheets to go with this day to help children generate their ideas.
12. ANIMALS
ALL IN THE HALL: animals in a zoo or Safari Park are designed with muddled up features and names, so liguins have lion's heads and penguin bodies. This is a great day for younger children. I have scaffolded writing sheets available for this workshop day.
BACK IN CLASS: children create their own animals, write stories about what happens when one escapes and create cafes reflecting an animal theme.
PHEW! ALTERNATIVELY - contact me by e-mail. I'll send you my phone number and we can talk it all over and combine ideas to create a day just right for your school. That is how all of the above days came in to being.
WHAT TEACHERS HAVE SAID
"An excellent session, particularly appreciated by less able year 6 boys. Loads of ideas. Many thanks."
KingsfieldPrimary School, Chatteris, Cambs
"It was a pleasure to see the children respond with so much enthusiasm, interest and animated conversation to the fantastic stimulus you provided. The range of work produced in response was incredible. You left us inspired. We cannot wait for next year when you visit us again." Galley Hill Primary School & Nursery, Hemel Hempstead
"We were very impressed with how you kept the attention of all year groups from reception to year 6. But you did and it was great. Where did you get that bird?!!"
Little Spring, Chesham, Bucks
"Can't believe how much writing my year 2 class has done. And they have been so enthusiastic about it." Bigland Green, Shadwell, Tower Hamlets, London
"A wonderful way to meet a writer. The work my class did was just brilliant. Look forward to seeing you next year."
I keep being invited back to schools so have created lots of flexible activities. Usually, I introduce the whole school, one key stage at a time, to the day's theme. These are interactive sessions with loads of props, children sharing with each other and taking votes as to which way stories and ideas should go. 
ed by another eleph
ant. The initial emphasis of this day is on speaking, listening and role play.
ALL IN THE HALL
ALL IN THE HALL: a parachute becomes an island with different buildings on it. Children think of non-fiction writing that could be found on the island such as messages in bottles, pirate maps, menus, lists, newspaper articles. This day places non-fiction writing in to creative contexts. 
ALL IN THE HALL: children sit round the numbers of a clock face. At 8 o'clock, clothes designer Jeremy Pointer (or another character) is preparing to go to an art exhibition (possibly Quentin Blake's) at Pudding Lane Art gallery. He needs to be inspired for his new collection. At 9.30 he is at the bus stop where he meets other characters (possibly Mrs Twit). At 11.15 he is looking at masterpieces in the gallery. At 12.30 he meets someone else (possibly the BFG). This day was origianlly created to tie in with Roald Dahl's writing. However, it works with any fictional or non-fictional characters children have been finding out about. It creates a fun, cross-curricular entry point to writing. I have detailed, differentiated lesson plans available for years 5/6 if following the Dahl theme.
ALL IN THE HALL: 6 houses, 6 pets, 6 random props, 6 pieces of garden furniture and 6 characters are mixed together to create stories. This is a really random and creative day and is currently my favourite. NB - all the above days have been my favourite, too, at one point.