Key Stage 2 Author Visits
Talks and creative writing workshops for Years 3 to 6, based around either Ancient Egypt or Titanic
Session content
When I visit a school, I usually do a talk for a whole year group followed by workshops with individual classes. The workshops below contain practical, memorable tips that will elevate your children’s writing. We focus on characterisation, description, point of view and immersive ‘Show Don’t Tell’ narrative skills.
Lower Key Stage 2: Night in the Museum
Children build plotlines and characters for a high-stakes adventure story set during an Ancient Egyptian museum sleepover. Full details at Ancient Egypt Sleepover author visits.
Upper Key Stage 2: Iceberg Ahead!
Children step back in time to explore the sights, sounds, and smells of RMS Titanic. They create a believable character and learn how to combine character development with a gripping plot. Full details at Titanic Writing Day for Key Stage 2.
Testimonials
An engaging, inspiring and memorable visit
Thank you so much for visiting our school and spending time with our pupils. The children were buzzing with excitement throughout the day. Many of them left feeling inspired and confident to develop their own ideas and stories. It was wonderful to see how enthusiastic they were to talk about writing afterwards and several have been keen to start their own pieces based on what they learned from you.
The best author visit we have ever had
Stephen had a lovely manner with the students, making them feel at ease to offer ideas. He led a whole school assembly as a powerful start to the day, and his key stage two workshops on building a character were particularly inspiring. Many teachers went on to use this in the classroom during the week with excellent results, and several reluctant writers went on to create their own stories.
Simply fantastic
I cannot praise Stephen enough, and I have had so many students and members of staff approach me to express how wonderful he was. He was fantastically inspiring, sharing great knowledge and beautifully structured workshops, which I know many of us are going to be emulating as we encourage creative writing skills across the school.
A splendid end to our topic
Stephen spent the day with our Year 5/6 class to consolidate their learning on The Titanic. The children produced some superb pieces of writing with Stephen’s guidance and encouragement – with many of them saying it was the best story they feel they’ve ever written. The opportunity to buy his book and have it signed was just the perfect end to the day.
Fabulous!
Stephen beamed with enthusiasm during his day with us and his workshops were excellent. My colleagues felt – and I agree with them – that he is the best visiting author we’ve had!
Yesterday was fantastic!
Stephen was absolutely brilliant. Following the whole school assembly, our Year 3 teacher ended up cancelling the lesson she had planned for her class and went with the ‘What if?’ theme for writing with the children as they were so excited. They produced some amazing pieces of work because of Stephen’s enthusiasm and inspiration.
Creative, interesting and fun!
“It was a brilliant visit. The children have written some great stories based on Stephen’s advice. They were all excited about going home to write in their own time and could not stop talking about it. They really enjoyed asking questions to Stephen and he gave some great, funny answers. The children were thrilled with the compliments he gave their writing in the workshop. We always thoroughly enjoy his visits and look forward to the next one.”
Get the ball rolling…
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does each talk or workshop last?
Up to an hour each.
How many children can take part?
Up to 200 in a talk and up to 35 in a workshop. I have run workshops for up to 60 children in the past, but it’s a stretch.
Can you tailor the workshop content to the needs of a particular group?
Within reason, yes. If a Year 6 class happens to be studying Migration, for example, we’ll explore the various nationalities on the Titanic and their reasons for travelling. I always do my best to adapt the material so that it dovetails with the children’s learning.
Can you run an Ancient Egypt workshop for Upper Key Stage 2?
Yes. Or a Titanic one for Lower Key Stage 2!
Can children buy your books in person and get them signed?
I usually sell and sign books at break or lunchtime, or outside after school (weather permitting). I can accept cash or I can invoice the school after the event for books sold.
What equipment should the school provide?
A projector or interactive whiteboard, and a flipchart easel and pad.
Who are Authors Abroad?
Authors Abroad organise author visits for schools in the UK and overseas. They are very friendly and efficient, and for the last ten years they have organised all of my school visits.
How much does a visit cost?
The overall cost depends on the location of your school and the number of sessions you want. My author visits start at £165 for online sessions and £385 for half-day in-person visits (plus VAT and travel). Use the booking enquiry form to tell us your circumstances and Authors Abroad will respond with a precise quotation.
How far are you willing to travel?
Any distance within reason, and I do my best to keep travel expenses to a minimum for the sake of your school’s budget. We can usually make an in-person visit work, but sometimes a virtual visit turns out to be the best solution.