Friday January 16th 2026
Nursing a bad back is never fun. So, when I set off for Maney Hill Primary at 6.15am on Friday 16th January, I was concerned about whether my back would hold out on the long drive there… and whether I’d manage to make it through the day! (Especially given I was to host two back-to-back assemblies followed by five workshops – three of which were to take place in between classrooms, with me dashing from one class to another every few minutes.) But after anticipating an incredibly tough day, my visit to Maney Hill turned out to be anything but painful! In fact, it ended up being my most favourite visit to date: an absolute dream of a visit, and one that I’ll never forget!!!
From the moment I arrived at the school, the teachers made me feel so welcome, and the pupils treated me as though I were royalty! An excitable energy fizzed around the hall during each of my assemblies, and both the younger and the older audiences were wonderfully engaged throughout. They had so many fabulous questions for me; they gasped and giggled in all the right places as I read the opening chapters of WARNING: May Contain Dragons; and they chatted away animatedly as things drew to a close, trying to decide how they would fend off a dragon… if one tried to kidnap their little brother or sister.
But it was when the workshops began that my mind was really blown. My first session was for Year 4 and half of Year 5… though I would have sworn the hall was full of Year 7 pupils if you’d asked me, as the standard of their work was phenomenal. The impressive behaviour didn’t end there, though! The pupils in every year group were so happy and polite, and all keen to show off their talents and get creative. During every single workshop I hosted, they continued to dazzle me with not just the quality of the work they produced but also the speed at which they came up with their masterpieces. From Year 1 upwards (I sadly didn’t get to host a workshop for the Reception pupils), the level of work produced was so advanced that, at one point, I wondered whether there was magic at play. In hindsight, it’s evident that the reason the pupils at Maney Hill Primary are so advanced for their years is due to the extremely passionate and dedicated teaching staff at this school. The teachers couldn’t have been more involved and engaged during every minute that I was there. (I think some of them were as excited about my visit as the pupils were… which was lovely to witness!!!)
With a fully-packed day, and only a very quick stop for lunch, my time at Maney Hill raced by… and before long, the day was over. I found myself feeling rather emotional on the way home, as I really hadn’t wanted to leave. Not EVER! Maney Hill truly is an incredible school on every single level. I just hope the teachers and the pupils know how sensational they all are.
Huge thanks to Mrs Barker and the whole team at Maney Hill Primary for all your help, engagement, and enthusiasm throughout the day. Massive thanks to the pupils… and all the parents I was fortunate enough to meet at the end of the day. And special thanks to J and T’s mum for getting me the booking of my dreams!!! I really hope to return to Maney Hill again very soon! I already miss being there.
