Some of Jane’s recent education work…
Project: Lacemaking Heritage Crafts
Venue: MKAC & Premier Academy, Bletchley,
Date: November 2019
Client: Milton Keynes Art Centre
Description: In achieving their Arts Award Year 5 pupils at Premier Academy took part in a Heritage Crafts project focusing on lacemaking. Jane was one of the artists working with the children to explore the process, history, stories and artistic interpretation connected to lace. The project started with an introductory session in school to meet the artists, followed by a day of activities at Milton Keynes Art Centre. With Jane children experienced storytelling and created “story bobbins”, each one unique and personal to the maker, to remember their day and tell a story. Some told the story of the day’s activities, some represented the story of St Catherine or the tale of Queen Catherine of Aragon, others had colours to represent family members. The story bobbins reflected the unique and personal nature of the lace bobbins used in the craft of lacemaking. The final part of the project was back at school to share stories, see the lace the pupils had helped make and celebrate the project.
Project: Into the woods
Venue: The Hurtwood, Surrey
Client: Reigate St Mary’s School
Date: September 2019, June & September 2018, June 2014, 2015
Jane was back for the fifth time accompanying the Year 4s on their annual visit to The Hurtwood for a storytelling adventure.
As in previous years, the objectives of the visit were for the children to gain first-hand experience of oral storytelling in a woodland setting and to use this as a stimulus for creative writing. In the morning the group went on a storytelling walk meeting Jack, a donkey, three storytellers and a wolf. In the afternoon Jane helped the children to explore different areas of the wood, to describe the scene, search for and image different characters, collect treasures and create fabulous fibs.
“Jane’s wonderful storytelling transformed the woods into a magical place. Our classes produced wonderfully descriptive stories while having a huge amount of fun!” Head of English
“Jane is very unique. I have never met someone who can catch a story by listening to the sounds of the wood. I really enjoyed that trip it has showed me what you can do to the woods and what the woods can do to you” Year 4 pupil
“A huge thank you for such a wonderful day. You are a talented storyteller and the children thoroughly enjoyed listening to you and have commented on what a magical day they have had. Thank you once again and I look forward to next year.” Year 4 teacher
Project: Outdoor Story workshops
Venue: School grounds
Date: October 2019 & July 2018
Client: Camestone Lower School
Description: Following the success of outdoor workshops with Year 1, 2 & 3 in the summer term 2018, the school were keen to develop the use of their outdoor classroom. With the help of a culture voucher from Bedford Creative Arts, the school were able to invite Jane back for some staff training and a day working with the Year 3 classes on storytelling in the woods.
Thank you so much for Tuesday. We all had fun and learned a lot! I have been really impressed with the impact on the children who have talked about it all week. Hope to work with you again! Deputy Head Teacher
Comments from the pupils: Being outside is good because you can play with your new friends and have fresh air. I enjoyed the outdoor theatre in the woods. Thank you for making loads of fun especially the story in the woods because when I went home I told it to my cat, mum and dad. The best part was the stories with the lovely Jane!
Project: Story Sharing Project
Venue: Queens Park Academy school grounds
Date: Summer term 2019
Client: Bedford Creative Arts
Golden envelopes sent home with children asking family members to tell children stories.
Description: Queens Park Academy were awarded a Culture Challenge Voucher to develop storytelling within the school as part of their “talk to write” scheme. Jane started the project by delivering a twilight training session for staff full of ideas for taking stories outside. The main project focused on the Year 4 and 5 children who were most in need of developing their literacy skills. Making use of the school’s Forest School area, Jane took the children outside to hear stories and find inspiration for their own. Golden envelopes went home with the children with letters asking family members to tell children stories. The following week the children shared their family stories with each other. From the box full of stories collected and created by the children, they then chose which type of story to develop, write and tell. Jane supported the children in preparing their stories for the end of term Family Picnic. The project ended with families being invited to story sharing sessions during the picnic. Here the children were able to tell, perform or read their chosen story to the family audience realising that they had become the storytellers.
“Thank you so much for the marvellous work you did in helping our children to see themselves as story-tellers. The children thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to create and tell their stories and it was lovely to see the response of proud family members at the family picnic…
“My colleagues and I have taken lots of ideas on board and are looking forward to implementing a similar project next year in year 5. It will feed brilliantly into our drive to give children an authentic purpose and audience for their story writing.” Year 5 teacher
Project: Outdoor Storytelling Workshops
Venue: Early Years woodland area
Date: March 2019
Client: Hartsfield JMI
The Year 1s documented their story experiences
Description: Working with the Reception and Key Stage 1 classes, Jane ran storytelling adventures and workshops making nature’s theatres and creating fabulous fibs with the children.
Image: Hartsfield Little red hen (2)
“Thank you for coming to our school. We all enjoyed doing something different and fun outdoors. There was enough for all children to engage in and the materials helped support their imaginations – especially the SEN children and early years. The Y1s documented their story experiences – as you can see. A good use of EY’s space too – which does not normally happen”. Outdoor Learning Coordinator
Project: Outdoor Storytelling Workshops and Performances
Venue: Outdoor Classroom
Date: March & June 2019
Client: The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School
Campfire stories and Jack tales
Description: For the Year 2 outdoor classroom day, with the girls school too, Jane ran a series of “nature’s theatre” workshops in the school’s beautiful woodland area. Invited back in June to work with the Year 3 boys following their camp out the night before, Jane gave a storytelling performance of campfire stories and Jack tales. Jane also worked with Years 4 and 5 telling more Jack stories and encouraging the boys to come up with their own fabulous fibs.
Project: World Book Day
Venue: Sundon Lower School
Date: March 2019
Client: Sundon Lower School
Sundon Lower School staff in fabulous costume for World Book Day
Description: Jane was in school to help staff and pupils celebrate World Book Day using storytelling. Swan class had fun with interactive tales; Dove class enjoyed a Little Red Riding Hood workshop and Owl class got creative with some Fabulous Fibs. The day finished with a story sharing assembly, each class feeding back on their story activities.
Project: Outdoor Storytelling workshops
Venue: Forest School Camp
Date: May & October 2018
Client: Caterham Preparatory School, Surrey
Description: On Jane’s second visit to the school, the Year 2s enjoyed Little Red Riding Hood workshops in the wood. Year 1s and reception classes had fun with some interactive stories.
The storytelling workshops complemented well the outdoor education already happening at the school in their fantastic Forest School Camp.
Project: Sea Tales
Venue: School grounds
Date: June 2018
Client: Great Barford Lower school
Beautiful sunshine and no rain, we still had a rainbow though!
Description: To finish off the topic of pirates the Year 1 and 2 pupils have enjoyed this term, Jane was invited to work with the classes on sea themed stories. Children enjoyed a storytelling performance with tales of an enchanted fish, the rainbow in the sea and the fish who swam around the world. Then children got busy creating treasure maps and story theatres. In the afternoon, Jane’s pirate treasure chest was opened to provide inspiration for a wealth of fabulous fibs. The story adventures all took place outside in the school grounds.
The children had a super day with you on Friday. We have also picked up a few ideas so many thanks. Year 2 teacher
Project: A Walk in the Woods
Venue: Centenary Wood
Date: May 2018
Client: Greenfield & Pulloxhill Academy
Description: In the words of Eagle class teacher: “We have just enjoyed a wonderful trip to Centenary Wood. Jane and Guy (who spend a lot of time working in the wood) invited us to join them. Jane is a story teller and she enraptured us all with her woodland stories and her fabulous fibs. We scoured the woodland searching for interesting natural objects and used them to tell our own fabulous fibs. Then we walked further into the woods and met Guy, the woodcutter. He told us how he coppices the hazel trees and sells the branches for pea sticks and bean poles. He also burns the wood to make charcoal for barbecues. A big thank you to Jane and Guy for a fascinating and enjoyable trip.”
Jane and Guy at Centenary Wood with pupils of Greenfield and Pulloxhill Academy
Project: Outdoor Classroom Day
Venue: School grounds at Greenfield and Pulloxhill
Date: May 2018
Client: Greenfield & Pulloxhill Academy
The wonderful view from Pulloxhill school ground
Description: Following the Year 4’s trip to Centenary Wood, Jane was invited to run outdoor story workshops for all year groups in the school grounds both at Greenfield and Pulloxhill.
Both schools have reported back to me saying the staff and children really loved it. Many thanks. Eagle class teacher.
Project: Traditional Tales
Venue: School hall
Date: March 2018
Client: Cauldwell Lower School
Description: To finish the term’s topic of traditional tales, Jane worked with the Early Years classes and Year 1 children to celebrate stories. Starting with an assembly and a telling of Jack and the Beanstalk then working with individual classes on further stories and activities.
Retelling Little Red Riding Hood at Cauldwell Lower School
Project: Wellbeing Week
Venue: Junior School Hall
Date: March 2018
Client: Guildford High School
Description: Starting with an assembly for Key stage 1 Jane told fun and colourful stories before working with individual year groups on retelling tales. “Aunt Mable’s Table” caused amusement with everyone having to guess what was inside the unlabelled can! During the lunch period Jane held storytelling drop- in sessions for the Junior then Senior school.
Jane adding stories to Guildford High School’s Wellbeing Week
Thank you so much for doing so much work with the Junior School, they really loved it and took a lot from it. The girls are still going past my can and saying ‘urgggh – dog food!’ Deputy Head, Junior School
Project: National Storytelling Week
Venue: Chalkhills Academy, Luton
Date: January 2018
Client: Bedford Creative Arts
Year 8s at Chalk Hills Academy get creative in a storytelling workshop
Description: A day of performances and workshops for Year 7 and 8. Starting with assemblies for both year groups, Jane then worked with smaller groups in workshops concentrating on retelling a tale and creating fabulous fibs on the theme of magic.
“Thank you for your time, effort and energy! I thought the day was lovely”. Vice Principal
Project: Creatively exploring the great outdoors
Venue: Heronsgate School, Milton Keynes
Date: December 2017
Client: Bedford Creative Arts
From inspiration to finished story shield
A day’s project working with twelve children from years three to six creating a piece of art inspired by the school grounds. The day started with storytelling from Jane and time to explore the outdoors and meet some trees. While outside children collected ingredients for stories and natural objects for inspiration. Back inside Jane worked with children to create and tell their own stories. In the afternoon story shields were made as visual representations of the stories, creating individual pieces of story art.
“The best part of my day was… EVERYTHING!” year six pupil
Project: Culture Challenge Wellbeing Retreat
Venue: The Chellington Centre
Date: November 2017
Client: Bedford Creative Arts
Description: Culture clubs from Cauldwell, Shackleton and Shortstown Primary Schools attended a nature creative carousel of activities at the Chellington Centre. Jane was there to tell stories around the campfire and encourage children to create some fabulous fibs of their own.
“We had some lovely feedback from [the children]. They thought the storytelling was magical. Teachers were also very impressed”. Bedford Creative Arts team
For more information about The Culture Challenge
More information about the Chellington Centre
Project: Launch of Outdoor classroom
Venue: Harlington Lower School
Date: October 2017
Client: Friends of Harlington Lower School
The splendid new outdoor classroom. Waiting for the children to arrive
Description: To celebrate the school’s new outdoor classroom, Jane worked with all year groups on storytelling adventures and workshops. Children searched for inspiration in the school’s woodland area and created some wonderful tales.
Having spoken to staff and children I really do want to thank you on behalf of us all here at Harlington Lower. We have had a fantastic day and are full of exciting and creative storytelling ideas. We hope that you have had a great time at our school. Year 1 teacher and Head of English
Project: Outdoor workshops
Venue: The school grounds
Date: June 2017
Client: John Hellins Primary
A woodland area of the school grounds provides a wonderful setting for storytelling workshops
Description: The fantastic woodland area of the school grounds provided a wonderful setting for Jane’s storytelling workshops. From Reception Class to Year 6, children heard stories, retold tales and discovered new stories of their own.
But you don’t need such amazing green space as this; Jane can use whatever you have available and will bring extra natural props in if your school can’t provide them!
Project: Jack’s Pack
Venue: The school hall and grounds
Date: June 2017
Client: Sacred Heart Primary
Jack’s Pack leads to adventures and new Jack stories
Description: Starting with an assembly for Key Stage 2, Jane told Jack stories. Then working with Years 4 and 5, classes went outside to a wild area of the school grounds to explore, discover and create new Jack tales, taking inspiration from the natural world.
Aimed at Year 4 and above, Jack’s Pack workshops encourage children to work co-operatively, to create a story from objects they can find and creatures and characters they can see or imagine in the setting they are in.
Once Jack’s Pack is full, the story building begins…
Project: Science Week
Venue: The school grounds
Date: March 2017
Client: Lark Rise Academy
Telling a story for 300 pupils
Description: To start the school’s Science Week, focusing on the school grounds, Jane gave a garden themed storytelling performance to the whole school assembly. Nursery children enjoyed further story sessions with Jane in the school grounds. Reception classes had fun retelling “The king of the woods” by making story maps from natural materials.
Thank you – the children loved your storytelling. Head Teacher
Project: World Book Day
Venue: the school grounds
Date: March 2017
Client: Gravenhurst Academy
“As I got closer and closer I saw a light in the tree and I saw a golden goose in the tree
Description: Gravenhurst children celebrated World Book Day with Jane. The day was filled with storytelling in the woods and book making. The day started with a storytelling assembly with the whole school. Reception children met some animal puppets, solved riddles and joined in with some interactive stories. Willow class made some wonderful natural theatres to retell Little Red Riding Hood and Oak class headed into the woods to find some fabulous fibs.
Retelling the story
All classes came back together at the end of the school day to share the stories of their day.
A final bow
“Thank you for sharing such a lovely day with us.” School business manager
“I just wanted to say another thank you for the other day. The children really enjoyed it and were inspired to produce some lovely stories.” Key Stage 2 teacher
Project: Outdoor Storytelling Workshops & Staff training
Venue: The school grounds, Icknield Walk First School, Royston, Herts
Date: October & November 2016
Client: Icknield Walk First School
Jane in full flow at Icknield Walk
Description: Over two and a half days Jane worked with all year groups, from the Nursery children to Year 4 classes, delivering outdoor story adventures and workshops. Nursery children followed a colourful trail to discover stories in the woods. Reception classes enjoyed woodland tales and helped collect a feast for woodland animals. Years 1 and 2 collected natural materials with which to create story maps and theatres, used to retell “The Tale of the Turnip” and “Peter and the Wolf”. Year 3 created wonderful time travel fabulous fibs. In “Jack’s Pack” workshops, Year 4 classes investigated their school grounds and collected ingredients for creating alternative Jack and the beanstalk stories.
The wolf visits the zoo – Year 2
You know the story of Jack and the beanstalk, right? Well there’s more to it than you think.
When Jack was at the top of the beanstalk he saw a giant castle, and guarding the castle was a giant grasshopper. He was poisonous with sharp spikey legs, fierce green eyes, and a pointy nose.
He couldn’t believe his eyes, a pine cone that can fly and talk!
Jack went back to the beanstalk with a beautiful flower with magical seeds inside.
Mouse and hedgehog enjoy a woodland feast – Reception
“I know, why don’t we get back Daisy the cow!” said Jack. The next day they had Daisy back. They lived happily ever after!
Extracts from Year 4 Falcon class stories.
Jane’s time with Icknield Walk First school finished with a storytelling training session for all the teaching staff.
“I have spoken to a few teachers this morning and they all said how successful the sessions were and how much the children enjoyed it too”. Head teacher
Project: Storytelling performance and workshops
Venue: Drama Studio
Date: September 2016
Client: Sharnbrook Upper School
Description: Jane visited the school to help the Performing Arts sixth form students with their unit on storytelling. In a workshop, students experienced three different types of story style suitable for different age ranges and were given tips on how to remember and tell a story.
Project: Outdoor storytelling workshops
Year 1 pupils at the natural theatre in their school grounds
Venue: The school grounds, Sacred Heart Primary School, Luton
Client: Sacred Heart Primary School
Date: May 2015 & April 2016
Description: For a second year Jane has been working with the school to look at ways of using their school grounds for developing imaginative and descriptive writing.
Foundation Stage took stories outside following a trail leading to traditional tales. Year 1 classes made natural theatres to retell a woodland story and Year 2 pupils found natural treasures to create ‘fabulous fibs’.
“I have had some super feedback from the teachers about how creative the sessions were. Thank you very much” Deputy Head teacher
Project: National Storytelling Week
On stage at the Welland Park Academy
Venue: Welland Park Academy, Market Harborough
Date: February 2016
Client: Barratt Homes
An event sponsored by Barratt Homes. Jane spent a day at Welland Park Academy telling stories to Year 7 and 8 pupils to celebrate National Storytelling Week. Jane told some of her favourite stories featuring giants, princes, wolves, fools, fishermen and brave heroines.
Project: World Book Day
Jane’s box of treasures
Venue: School hall
Client: Shillington Lower School
Date: March 2014
Description: Jane held workshops with all year groups to help children tell or create their own tales. Reception and Year 1 retold traditional stories, Year 2 created fabulous fibs from Jane’s treasure box and Years 3 & 4 made up “Jack’s packs” of story ideas linked to the themes of World War II and Imaginary Planets.
“Thank you again for a lovely day, feedback from all year groups was good. We spent 2 days in Year 2 following up with fabulous fibs in class and they loved it. It is fabulous that some of my children with SEN also participated fully.” Head of Literacy
For more examples of Jane’s storytelling work in schools click here